North Myrtle Beach Times Serving our Community and the Grand Strand for over 50 years
This past week the North Myrtle Beach Rotary Club came together to celebrate its 50th birthday. Formed on June 28, 1969, twenty prominent men in the North Myrtle Beach community petitioned for a local charter from Rotary International. Fifty years later the club is stronger than ever and doubled in size. District Governor David Tirard for SC Rotary District 7770 was on hand to congratulate the club and present it with a certificate of honor.
In celebrating the monumental birthday three of the original charter members were in attendance. J. Carlton Bell, Edward W. Jerdon and Harry E. Tomas all spoke during the celebration held at The Surf Golf and Beach Club about the beginnings of the club and how Rotary has evolved in the past 50 years. Also, in attendance were sixteen past club presidents. Each past president shared a memory or two from their time at the podium and what they felt the biggest impact on the community was made during their year in office. Distributing toys during the holiday season, handing out dictionaries to third grade students and land beautification events all made the very long list of past and current community projects.
The birthday party was rounded out by reflecting and sharing current information on the numerous contributions that the North Myrtle Beach Rotary Club makes on a local, national and international level. Coming to share in the celebration were Kyle Cooper, Myatt Hardwick, Omaima Najib and Harley Merrill. All are past recipients of a student scholarship from the club. Each student came to share their most recent college success stories and to thank the club for all the support it has given to each of them.
A special moment was set aside for the club to speak about the continued effort to eradicate the polio virus, it’s number one priority. Rotary International has committed to raising $50 million a year to be matched 2-to-1 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, amounting to $150 million for polio eradication annually. Rotary has contributed more than $1.9 billion to fight the disease, including matching funds from the Gates Foundation, and countless volunteer hours since launching its polio eradication program, PolioPlus, in 1985.
The Rotary Club of North Myrtle Beach will continue to serve the North Myrtle Beach community with your help. For more information about the club or to become a member visit their Facebook Page, Rotary Club of North Myrtle Beach. Weekly meetings are held on Tuesdays at 12:30 p.m. at The Surf Golf and Beach Club in North Myrtle Beach.
Rotary International brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. It connects 1.2 million members from more than 35,000 Rotary clubs in almost every country in the world. Their service improves lives both locally and internationally, from helping those in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world. Visit Rotary.org and endpolio.org for more about Rotary and its efforts to eradicate polio.
