Today, long time Rotarian and Paul Harris Fellow, Richard Newell Graham will take to the podium as our speaker, and give us a brief history of the first 100 years of the family owned business, known as Union City Coca Cola.

Newell is a life long resident of Union City, being born here in 1947, graduating from UCHS in 1965, and then on to Ole Miss graduating in 1969. Upon graduation, he was commissioned an Ensign in the U.S. Navy, serving on USS Lexington CVT-16 in Pensacola, FL, then served on an Admiral’s staff in Seoul, S. Korea in 1972. He was honorably discharged, holding the rank of Lieutenant, and returned to Union City, going to work with his father in the Coke Business. Newell held many positions in his early years with his father, including digging ditches, stomping boxes (because he was the heaviest around) and truck route helper, so you can see he started at the top.

He has been a community leader for a number of years, including being President of U.C. Jaycees, served on UTM Development Committee, recently retired from Rotary Scholarship committee and the list goes on.

Newell has been married to his lovely wife Bettie since 1968, they have two sons, Richard, a graduate of the Culinary School in Hyde Park, N.Y., and Stanford, an accounting graduate of Tulane University.

Next Week, Union City Rotary will hear from Mark Welch. Mark is currently Program Director of WKMS radio at Murray State University, he will be speaking on the Public Radio’s national mandate - WKMS’s regional mission and specific projects underway this year, including new signals coming from Fulton & Madisonville, Ky and digital conversion within the system. WKMS is on the verge of providing Public Radio service to Obion, Lake and Weakley Counties this fall with the installation of these new signals. He says there used to be a broadcasting tower in Dyersburg that provided service but it hasn’t done so in many years. He will be explaining the Public Radio Mission, programming and their plans for our area.

Mark was born in Detroit Michigan but was raised in Fulton, after his family transferred with Ferry Morse Seed Company in 1959. He graduated for Fulton High School in 1974 and from Murray State Univeristy with a B.S. in Journalism in 1978 and an M.S. In Mass Communication in 1986.

Last Week, Rotary celebrated it’s eighth anniversary of the Verhine Scholarship program, with several of the recipients on hand to be honored. It was an impressive sight to see the caliber of students our local High School is turning out.

Along with the Scholarship Program, Leland Davis introduced the students who are participating in the Rotary Exchange Program along with the students who are participating in the first ever, Rotary Sponsored "Tour Group". These students will get the experience-of-a-lifetime as they travel to many countries across Europe.

Our thanks go out again to the Scholarship Committee, along with thanks to Leland and his Committee, having the task of eliminating all but eight of some twenty-two qualified students who applied for the European Tour.

Rotarians then heard from some of the students who are participating in the above mentioned programs , expressing their gratitude and thanks for allowing them to be a part of Rotary’s generosity.

Things then turned to the business of the Verhine Scholarship distribution, with Roger Williams making comments concerning this years recipients, and some of the recent history of selection.

Gary Houston did the honors, going through the list of 120 students who are receiving the scholarships, this year distributing a little over 165,000, to these deserving graduates of Union City High School who have completed at least one year of higher education from one of the universities or colleges in this Great Nation of ours.

June 19 - Mark Welch, Public Radio Network, Murray KY.

June 26 - New Officer Installation