Union City Rotary Club - Weekly Bulletin & News

Today, we welcome Judy Barker, Judy is our 77th District State Representative, which covers Obion County, Lake County and a portion of Dyer County. She is serving her first term as our representative and since being in Nashville, she has made quite a showing. She has been named to serve on several committees, besides being House member of the 106th General Assembly, she has acquired a seat on the House Education Committee, House Transportation Committee, House Rural Roads Committee and also a member of the House Education K-12 Sub Committee.

Judy is an Attorney here in Union City and has an active Law Practice in Estate Planning. She received her Bachelor’s degree from UTM, her Master’s degree from the University of Tennessee School of Social Work and her J.D., from the University of Memphis. She is married to Wayne Barker, they have two sons, Tyler and Parks. She is a member of the National Rifle Association, Tennessee and Obion County Bar Association, Tennessee Wildlife Federation. She teaches Sunday School and she is Mission Chairman for the First United Methodist Church here in Union City.

She says her main priority while in Nashville is "Keeping the Focus on Northwest Tennessee".

Next week, last week it was China, next week it will be Brazil and the Netherlands as our Rotary Exchange Students visit and fill us in on their experiences while on the exchange experience.

Heather Nicole’ Simpson and Chelsea Boyd will be on hand, along with their Exchange Partners, Stephennie Groen from Wolveiga Netherlands and Mariana Noguera from Sao Joao da Boa Vista, SP Brazil.

These students traveled along with other Rotary Exchange students, and from all information gathered, they are having the experience of a lifetime. In fact, Mariana has already had a couple of Tennessee experiences, as she has been frog gigging and has had a tour of the Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg.

Heather is 18 years old and graduated from the Union City High School this year. She left for Brazil on June 2nd and returned to the US on July 10th. While in Brazil, she and Mariana had the opportunity to visit many places and enjoy the lifestyle and culture of a different land.

Chelsea Boyd left Memphis on June 27 and returned on July 22. Stephennie accompanied her on her return trip and will be here until August 16.

Last Week, Art Sparks was at it again, as he had the privilege of bestowing Rotary’s highest honor on two of Union City Rotary’s members. He wasn’t as kind to Barry Keathley as he was to the second recipient, Fred Wilkerson. Barry had to take a few on the chin before he received the honor, however he took it in stride and Art Did an excellent job. Fred received the honor, but not before Jim Harrelson said, "Fred we have a better chance of winning the lottery than we do becoming a Paul Harris Fellow don’t we".

After the award ceremony, Betsy Appleton held a captive audience as she presented a slide presentation on her recent trip to China.

Betsy spent twenty-two days in China studying with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville through the University Programs Abroad office. She spoke of the culture, their unique architecture, their politics, and the way of life for the middle class people of the country.

She said China was a smaller country than the U.S., but had a population of 1.3 Billion people, and every year there are 14 million births in the country, which equals the entire population of Australia, and, she said, "the population of China equals one percent of the entire population of the world".

Betsy said no matter where she went she had no trouble communicating, because English was a common language there, she also said that China had more English speaking people than the United States.

She said her first stop was Bejing and then on to Cheon, and Shan Hi where she visited the Teneman Square. She said security was very high there and foreigners were not allowed to enter the grounds, because of an anniversary they were celebrating.

On the question and answer portion of her presentation, she said that the average annual income of the people there was $6,000, the price of gasoline was 3.00 per gal., and they drove only on odd and even days, according to their license plates.

Coming Attraction

Aug. 07 - Youth Exchange Students

Aug. 14 - District Governor Gary Benmark

Aug. 21 - Air Force Col. Glen Baxter Swift.

Aug. 28 - Rotary Tour Group

Birthdays

July 31 - Scott Gilliam

Aug. 04 - Bo Faulkner

Aug. 04 - Bill Latimer

Aug. 06 - Chris Crockett

Anniversaries

July 31 - Bruce and Roma Culver

July 31 - Jimmy and Barbara Jones

Aug. 01 - Jim Rippy, Jr and Martha

Aug. 01 - Bart and Jean Ann White

Aug. 02 - Portis and Cindy Tanner

Aug. 02 - Harold and Glenda Cozart

Aug. 03 - Jim Glasgow, Jr and Jenna

Tonight

Union City Greyhounds enter a best 2 out of 3 Championship Series play-off, taking on the Fulton Railroaders in Fulton. Tomorrow night they host the Railroaders at Elam Stadium and if there is a 3rd game it will be played Aug. 2, all weather permitting.

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