The Rotary Club of Knoxville turned 109 years old on September 1, 2024, so we celebrated at today’s meeting with the traditional birthday cake served by past presidents along with the introduction of Paul Harris fellows and a preview of the 2025 Rotary International Convention. Lina Shatara and President-Elect Shannon Holland shared highlights that await Rotarians attending the Rotary International Convention in Calgary, Alberta, Canada from June 21 – 25, 2025. Besides the Convention, our Club is offering the opportunity to travel together post-Convention on one of several optional itineraries that will allow us to enjoy the scenery and explore the Canadian Rockies. The options look fabulous, the scenery awesome, and you can learn more about the convention and the add-on trips by reaching out to Lina Shatara.
To close out the party, Rob Johnson and Shannon Holland hosted another installment of The Rotary Club of Knoxville Member and Club Trivia. We learned that several of our members have been married over 50 years and one member has been married for 58 years! We have a beekeeper, a geo-caching hobbyist, a machete’ collector, and a member who can play most of the instruments in an orchestra. We found out that more members had not been to Dollywood than had not been to a Bucee’s! There were just a few who haven’t yet been to the Biltmore House or to Disney World. Several members had the honor of meeting U.S. Presidents while they were in office. Lastly, our own Erin Vanderveldt, was on the David Letterman TV Show when she was ten years old to demonstrate her idea of an umbrella for a dog to use in the rain. It was a great birthday party today and everyone left with a smile and looking forward to the 110th Rotary Club of Knoxville year.
Scribe: Alan Hill