Union City Rotary Club - Weekly Bulletin & News

Today, Union City Rotary extends a warm welcome to our Obion County Students and Educators. We also want to congratulate the students on achieving one of your main goals in life, and that is being a graduating senior, or going further up the education ladder as an existing college or trade school student. Union City Rotary has promoted the youth of our county for many years and this year is no exception, with this day completing one of our main projects in that promotion for 2011.

Union City Rotary Scholarship History

This year marks the 30th year that the Union City Rotary Club has awarded scholarships to students from Obion County. The Rotary Club International was founded in 1905 with the first club in Chicago, Illinois and has since grown worldwide to include clubs in 167 countries with 1.2 million members. Members of the Rotary Club are a diverse group of professional leaders working to address various community and international service needs and to promote peace and understanding throughout the world. The Union City Rotary Club was chartered September 2, 1936, and now has approximately 150 members. In 1982 when Gus White (one of our charter members and past district governor), passed away a trust fund of $10,000 was set up for a scholarship in his memory. Then another Rotarian, Mr. Hardy Graham, started a trust fund for scholarships with a $1,000 donation. In 1983 Old & Third National Bank (now Commercial Bank) had a trust fund that had been left in a will for scholarships; the trust officer, John Pylant, asked if they could join with the Rotary Club to make the processing of applicants easier, and thus, began the Union City Rotary Club Scholarship Program. Today Union City Rotary Foundation is registered as a tax exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

The Union City Rotary Club Scholarship Program is divided into three categories. The first is the traditional Rotary Scholarship that was began in 1982 and is available to graduating seniors from Union City High School, Obion Country Central High School and South Fulton High School for post-secondary education at qualified colleges, universities and technical schools. The second category is for upper classmen in qualified colleges, universities and technical schools who are residents of Obion County. Both of these first two categories are privately funded by donations and endowments from business and individuals from Obion County. Third, is the Verhine Scholarship fund, endowed with $3,200,000 from the F. Fern Verhine Trust, which is available only to upper classmen in qualified colleges, universities and technical schools who are graduates of Union City High School.

In 2011, businesses and individuals from Obion County donated $102,000 during the annual scholarship drive, and an additional sum of $28,000 came from interest earned on endowments given over the years by many generous contributors. We are certainly thankful to all these donors for their interest in giving back to the community because without them there would be no scholarship program.

Since 1982 the Union City Rotary Club has helped over 3000 students from Obion County and awarded $4,124,000 in scholarships. In 2011 the Union City Rotary Club will award approximately 200 students a total of $270,000 in scholarships.

Scholarships from the Union City Rotary Club are awarded primarily on the basis of financial need; however, there are a very limited number of scholarships based on scholastic achievement and/or study in a particular field. The scholarship committee always considers financial need first and the students are ranked according to this need; then, for high school seniors, the committee must give consideration to the student’s interview and third, any special requirements of the donor’s scholarship are considered to determine the final award selection.

The Rotary Scholarship Committee is chaired by Roger Williams and includes members Steve Vaughn, Richard Graham, Gary Houston, Bob Regen, Ron Green, Clint Joiner, Barry Keathley, Al Creswell, Dave Schlager and Jim Douglas. Many other Rotarians give of their time to help make this program the huge success that it is.

Any individual or company that wishes to establish a scholarship through the Union City Rotary Club Foundation is welcome to participate and may get further details by emailing their request to info@unioncityrotary.org.

Roger Williams, Chairman, Scholarship Committee

2011 Scholarship Results

TOTALS No. ScholarshipApplicants No. ReceivingScholarship

OCCHS Seniors...............$ 51,050.00............70...................50

OCCHS Graduates...........$ 37,800.00............57...................31

SFHS Seniors...................$ 7,500.00............15..................... 8

SFHS Graduates...............$ 5,450.00............12..................... 6

UCHS Seniors..................$ 26,750.00............37...................24

UCHS Graduates..............$ 1,000.00

Next week, Jo Ann Speer returns giving Rotarians an up-date on the much anticipated expansion at Everett Stewart Regional Airport.

After serving as the Office Manager at the airport for several years, and owner/operator of Jo-Aire, the Fixed Base Operator at the airport, she took over the responsibilities of manager in 2007, after the retirement of Alfred Howell, at that time JoAire was closed.

She began flying in 1998, earning her Private Pilot’s license and Advanced Ground Instructor License at Everett-Stewart Airport, Commercial License and instrument rating at chandler Air Service in Chandler, Arizona, and CFI in Carbondale, Illinois. Her facility is also a CATS (Computer Authorized Test Sight) which gives her the authority to administer FAA written exams for pilot’s license from the Private to the ATP (Airline Transport Pilot), Aviation Mechanic and FCC license. She is also a FAA designated

Safety Counselor, Member of the National Association Flight Instructors, Women In Aviation International, and the Ninety Nines, EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) and participates in the Young Eagle’s Program.

She has hosted several FAA Safety Seminars and Aerobatic Camps, plays a big part in the "Airport Extravaganza" as part of Obion County’s Fall Fest, and participates in a "Sky School" for children.

Coming Attractions

May 20 - Jo Ann Speer

May 27 - Roy Herron - TN Legislative Update

June 03 - Verhine Scholarship Banquet

June 10 - TBA

Birthdays

May 17 - Lee Fry

May 18 - Leland Davis

Anniversaries

May 14 - Doug and Beverly Carter

May 17 - Bruce and Lyn Brown

May 17 - Jody and Tracey Kizer

May 18 - Bob and Sharon Regen

May 19 - Jim and Mary Nita Bondurant

May 19 - Wright and Samantha Jernigan

May 19 - Gordon and Amanda Bruff

Return to Weekly Bulletin News Index page.