ROTARY CLUBS
Service Above Self
story by MEGAN THIBAULT MORRIS photos by CHARLOTTE BERKELEY and courtesy of ROTARY CLUBS
Over 200 locals are part of a very special world-renowned organization: Rotary International. The Beaufort Rotary, Lowcountry Rotary, and Sea Island Rotary Clubs are a time-honored tradition of supporting this community through volunteerism and donations. Rotarians do countless good deeds each year, making a profound impact on quality of life, support for those in need, and leadership development.
Since the first iteration of the newly formed Rotary sponsoring the Boy Scouts in 1935, their outreach has grown. Their generous hearts further emphasize their power in numbers. With cherished devotion, Rotarians take care of their community. Currently, the three Rotary Clubs participate in a wide range of events and partner with many important initiatives. Just to name a few…
• Adopt-a-Highway monthly clean-up
• Angel Tree programs
• Beach Sweeps
• Blood Drives
• Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust
• College Scholarships for High School Seniors
• Food Drives for HELP of Beaufort
• Golf Tournament and Oyster Roast fundraisers for local charities
• Health Fairs with Good Neighbor Clinic
• Library book donations and the Little Free Library
• Literacy Bags for Born to Read
• Lowcountry Supper serving at Water Festival
• Polio Eradication program
• Recognition programs for military and first responders
• Salvation Army Christmas bell ringing• Smile Mobile
• Spanish Moss Trail beautification
• Walk for Water
• Wreaths Across America in honor of fallen veterans
• Youth Exchange Students
All three local Rotary Clubs work on these projects individually and together as one big Rotary team to maximize impact on the community. The three local clubs formed as participation grew. Decades ago, there was not a venue to hold the weekly meetings for more than 75 people, but the Rotarians would not let that stop them from expanding their outreach. Over time, Sea Island and Lowcountry Rotary Clubs branched off from the original Beaufort Rotary to provide meeting options for current and prospective members.
The fellowship hall at Sea Island Presbyterian currently hosts all the weekly club meetings. The Sea Island Rotary has a lunch meeting on Tuesdays, the Beaufort Rotary has a lunch meeting on Wednesdays, and the Lowcountry Rotary has a breakfast meeting on Fridays. Members hardly miss a meeting or the chance to build camaraderie with their fellow Rotarians over the latest fundraisers and community service projects.
Another important element of each meeting is the program’s guest speaker, who shares their unique perspective on the region, whether it is community programs and development, the latest initiatives and pressing issues, or opportunities to better understand fellow citizens. Essential to each club is having a pulse on the community.
Some Rotarians are employed, and some are retired. Some are in their first year of service, and some have been involved for decades. Some are new to Beaufort, and some are multigenerational Beaufortonians. There is a diverse mix of all viewpoints, ages, industries, and skill sets.
“I love Rotary because, as a native Beaufortonian, this allows me to give back to the place that I cherish and have spent my entire life,” says Anna Pinckney Graham, president of the Sea Island Rotary. “I couldn’t imagine a better way to help so many organizations and groups around the community.”
Rotary is a unique way of life. The members share a promise to continually seek out and show up to do good deeds. The local Rotarians have collectively donated almost 3,000 hours of their time in the past year, and that is only one year. Imagine the impact. Beaufort would simply not be the same without their commitment.
“I first joined Rotary in 1995,” recalls Dick Deuel, president of the Lowcountry Rotary. “At the time, my children became involved in the Interact Club at Beaufort High, so I wanted to join them and lead by example in their quest to be community leaders. Ever since then, it has become a way of life.”
The Interact Clubs at local high schools serve as Junior Rotary programs, where students can begin to learn and practice the motto “service above self.” There is also a Rotary Reader program at local elementary schools. And Rotary’s involvement in educational programming extends beyond the local scene too. The clubs send two local students to study abroad each year and accept two international students to study here in Beaufort. Nick Hunt, a recent “Service Above Self” lifetime achievement award recipient (the highest honor for a Rotarian), and his wife, Rosemary, have been integral in the success of the Rotary Youth Exchange for decades.
“Rotary youth programs have had a profound effect on me and my family’s life. I began leading Rotary Readers and mentoring students when my children were in elementary school. Later, my children were president and board members of Interact at Beaufort High, learning leadership skills. We’ve hosted Rotary Youth Exchange students and traveled to Germany to meet the parents of students. Just last month, a student returned to our home for a month-long visit. My oldest son was inspired to study abroad as a result of this activity,” says Whitney McDaniel, president of the Beaufort Rotary. “I rode an elephant and petted a tiger with Rotarians in Thailand. But most of all, I love seeing lives transformed forever through the cultural exchange, perhaps bringing us one step closer to peace for all of humanity.”
The three Rotary Clubs do not compete; they complement each other and maximize goodwill. Each Rotarian sees his or her individual contributions as part of the larger collective effort to make the Lowcountry a better place for those who live here.
“Service above self” is a daily proclamation for the hundreds involved in Rotary today, just as it was for those who served before them. Rotarians make Beaufort better, and deserve all the gratitude and support that the community can give. To explore the opportunity to join one of these amazing clubs and truly make a difference, check out the Rotary International website (www.rotary.org) and express your willingness to put service above self.
FUN FACTS ABOUT ROTARY’S LOCAL HISTORY
• The rewarding relationship between Rotary and the School District began in 1936 when the Rotary awarded prizes for essays by outstanding students.
• In 1939, Paul Harris, founder of Rotary International, spoke to the Beaufort Club.
• The Club collected and shipped cigarettes to U.S. servicemen in Saipan in 1944.
• In 1949, the Club joined with the Jaycees and Lions Club to support the Hospital Auxiliary Talent/Quiz Show as a fundraiser.
• Member dues were raised by $0.25 per month in 1953 in order to sponsor a local Junior League Baseball team.
• In 1952, the Club allocated $250 toward the expense of sponsoring two hitchhiking stations at Gardens Corner.
• The tradition of serving Frogmore Stew at the Water Festival’s “Lowcountry Supper” began in the 1960s, nearly being part of the Festival since its inception.
• Every January the three clubs kick-off the new year by holding an Oyster Roast together to celebrate another year of service and collaboration for a common purpose.
