Senator Bob Corker answers a question on Syria.

Photo and story by Wayne Wilhelm

Rotarian, Tim Spires, introduced Senator Bob Corker, ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, to our membership during the May 28 meeting of the Rotary Club of Cleveland. Corker's message was covered by local media and attended by a number of area politicians.

Corker, a former Rotarian, complimented Rotary for its many accomplishments throughout the world. "Polio is almost completely extinct. Thank you all for your contribution." Senator Corker also pointed out the successful relationship between Cleveland and Chattanooga in the area of economic development. Tennessee's lack of a state income tax is an important advantage for the businesses looking to locate in our area, said Corker.

Matthew Brown receives the Rotarian of the Year Award from 2012 recipient, Lil Harting.

Story by Lil Harting
Photo by Wayne Wilhelm

This year's Rotarian of the Year, Matthew Brown, has been a loyal, dedicated and hard-working member of the Rotary Club of Cleveland for 18 years. Matthew has served the club in many major capacities including President in 2002-2003. He has served multiple terms on the club board of directors and the board of the Cleveland Rotary Foundation. Matthew has chaired several major committees including Membership, International Group Study Exchange, Rotary Golf Tournament and Greenway Initiatives.

Matthew holds an undergraduate degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology and an MBA from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He works in the family business, Brown Stove Works, as Executive Vice President. His father, Harrison Brown, says he was not offered his position out of special privilege, but worked hard to attain it.

From left: Art Rhodes, Chris and Louise Brown Harbison, Barbara Brown, Matthew Brown, Tara Watson Brown, Harrison Brown and Lil Harting.

According to the 2012 Rotaract Census the United States has the second highest number of clubs, totaling 780. Which country has the largest number of clubs? 

BONUS QUESTION: How many clubs are located there?

From left: Nathan Myers, Robyn Varner, Carly Morris, Olivia Hysinger, Luke Shattuck and Rotary Literacy Committee Chairman, Jay Leggett, Jr.

Photo and story by Wayne Wilhelm

Five accomplished Interact members from local high schools were awarded scholarships during the May 14 meeting of the Rotary Club of Cleveland. Each recipient submitted a detailed application including grades, community activities, honors, letters of recommendation and an essay explaining their need for the scholarship along with their plans for the future. Candidates then met with members of the Literacy Committee for an interview to help determine the winners.

The Literacy Committee's job was difficult as each of the candidates were highly qualified to receive an award. It was ultimately determined that each candidate would receive a scholarship. The awards were presented as follows:

Nathan Myers plans to pursue a degree in Biology at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Carly Morris will seek a career in nursing at Belmont University. Olivia Hysinger, who also won a Jim Bomar scholarship through Interact, plans to major in engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Robyn Varner will be seeking a degree in Chemical Engineering at Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville. Luke Shattuck will attend Tennessee Technological University next fall to work toward a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Congratulations to these recent graduates and scholarship winners. The Rotary Club of Cleveland wishes you the best in all your future endeavors.

From left, Lars Sandholtbraten, Jon "Wolf" Deglum, Michelle Patterson, Yngve Granerud, Jan Alfred Borgenvik and Don Ritzhaupt.

The Rotary Club of Cleveland hosted a dynamic Group Study Exchange Team from Norway during the week of April 28. The six-member team included:

• Yngve Granerud, real estate manager from Oslo,
• Jon "Wolf" Deglum, security officer with the Norwegian Defense Staff,
• Lars Sandholtbraten, IT manager with Smedstuen Gard AS from Dal,
• Ulrikke de Vibe, secondary school teacher from Feiring,
• Rune Magnussen, investment and retirement planner from Nannestad,
• Jan Alfred Borgenvik, police officer, from Oslo.

While in Cleveland, the group enjoyed a wide array of activities highlighted by a thrilling but cold whitewater rafting trip down the Ocoee River. Group members also participated in cycling, dining, shopping and vocational visits during their stay in our area.

Rotarian, Ish Patel, presents a $5,000 contribution to Art Rhodes for the Cleveland Rotary Foundation.

Photo by Wayne Wilhelm

Many thanks to Ish Patel and Vision Hospitality Group for their $5,000 contribution to the Cleveland Rotary Foundation commemorating the opening of the new Hampton Inn in Cleveland, TN. The Hampton Inn is Vision Hospitality Group's 20th hotel!

Cleveland Rotarians meet Rotary International President, Sakuji Tanaka, at the 2013 Rotary District 6780 Foundation Dinner on March 8 at The Orangery in Knoxville, TN. Pictured from left: Gary Fuller, Don and Rachel Ritzhaupt, Pat Fuller, RI President Tanaka, Lil Harting, Wayne and Karen Wilhelm. Also present but not pictured: Amy Card-Lillios, Jim Buckner, Norm Fontana, Kim Casteel and David Carroll.

Don Ritzhaupt was recognized for achieving level 1 major donor status with the Rotary International Foundation. Congratulations Don and thank you for your support of the Rotary International Foundation.

From left: Bill George, VP of The Cleveland Rotary Foundation; Julie Jones, Caring Place Administrator; Reba Terry, Executive Director of The Caring Place.

Photo by Wayne Wilhelm

Executive Director, Reba Terry and Julie Jones of The Caring Place thanked the Cleveland Rotary Foundation for grants received over the past three years. These grants enabled The Caring Place to enclose a porch area, providing shelter for their clients; install an HVAC system and most recently provided $6,793 to procure a new communications/phone system for emergency contacts.

From left: Cleveland Rotary Foundation president, Wayne Wilhelm; CCHHS treasurer, Darlene Goins; CCHHS president, Faye Callaway; CCHHS development chair, Melissa Woody.

The Cleveland Rotary Foundation presented the Charleston-Calhoun-Hiwassee Historical Society with a check for $9,579 to assist with the construction of the new Hiwassee Heritage Center located in Charleston, Tennessee. CCHHS president, Faye Callaway, explained that the project is advancing at a rapid pace with an expected May grand opening.

The Hiwassee Heritage Center received one of five grants awarded by the Cleveland Rotary Foundation to be utilized in 2013. A total of $29,000 in grant funding was awarded for 2013. A more detailed program on the Hiwassee Heritage Center and the use of the foundation grant will be available upon project completion.

Photo and story by John Thomas

Danny Murray and the Voices of Lee delivered a festive, rich vocal program at our last Rotary meeting of 2012.  After an introduction by Jim Bilbo, the Voices entered singing Carol of the Bells and continued with songs delivered as perfectly and beautifully as this group always sings them.  Also included were:

Silver Bells

The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)

Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

Danny’s Fantasy—President Obama recognizes Lee University and the Voices of Lee

Joy to the World

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Mary Did You Know?

Their performance was fresh, enthusiastic, and beautiful, as though we were their only audience.  However, the high demand for this group at this time of year means that they are booked for 21 performances this week.  They boarded a bus for Raleigh, NC after leaving our meeting.

In January, the Voices will join the Lee University Festival Choir to perform at the 57th United States Presidential Inauguration at the National Mall in Washington, D.C.  Voices of Lee has performed worldwide, and has been featured on “Good Morning America,” performed at Christmas at the White House, and competed in NBC’s “Sing-Off” competition, where they easily advanced to the final round.  Voices of Lee director Danny Murray has coached collegiate musicians for more than 25 years. He has extensive experience in the music industry, serving from church music director to promotions director for Bill Gaither.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all members of the Rotary Club of Cleveland.  See you in 2013!    

Dr. Robert Dooley, Dean of the College of Business at UTC.

Photo and story by Wayne Wilhelm

Dr. Robert Dooley, Dean of the College of Business at UTC introduced his Veterans Entrepreneurship Program to Cleveland Rotarians during a presentation on November 20. 

The Veterans Entrepreneurship Program (VEP) is designed to assist disabled and service distinguished veterans in the creation of successful, profitable ventures as a means to financial independence. Dr. Dooley had worked with a similar program at Oklahoma State University and started the current program at UTC when he arrived in 2011.

Gary Cordell, Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs

Photo and story by John Thomas

Gary Cordell focuses much of his attention on reaching out to consumers, businesses, and law enforcement.  By making consumers aware of scams that might be perpetrated against them, showing them ways to protect against those scams, and teaching them what to do if they suspect fraudulent activities, Gary can help to reduce the damage done to citizens of Tennessee each year by these clever thieves.  If someone does become the victim of a scam, the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs can help investigate and possibly recover lost funds.  By involving the appropriate law enforcement agencies, the division can magnify their effects, both in awareness and prevention as well as in recovery and prosecution.  Gary addressed all of these points in speaking with Rotarians on Tuesday, November 6^th.

Tennessee Attorney General, Robert E. Cooper, Jr.

Photo and story by John Thomas

As head of one of the largest law firms in the state, Tennessee Attorney General Robert E. Cooper, Jr. oversees activities that affect many facets of the lives of Tennesseans, and that produce millions of dollars in revenues for the state from fraud litigation, tobacco settlements, tax litigation, and other collections.  Direct impacts on the quality of our lives result from environmental enforcement, relief from lending abuses, and protection of consumers from excessive utility rate increases that are in his purview.  General Cooper described his job and responsibilities to Rotarians this past Tuesday.

Tracey Carisch and Keri Randolph explain the STEM Innovation Hub

Photo and story by John Thomas

STEM disciplines, those involving science, technology, engineering, and math, are vital to the future of southeast Tennessee and the United States.  The United States has gone from a position of world leadership in the 1960’s, to the middle of the pack among industrialized countries today.  The path back to leadership involves an educational approach that is comprehensive, innovative, and involves not only educators, but also the businesses that will employ future scientists and mathematicians.  The Southeast Tennessee STEM Innovation Hub intends to be a catalyst for that approach.

Tim Spires introduced Tracey Carisch, Managing Director, and Keri Randolph, Director of Learning, for the Southeast Tennessee STEM Innovation Hub.  Tracey and Keri addressed our Rotarians regarding the Hub.

Rotarian, Tim Spires, discusses the history of Oak Ridge, Tennessee and the Manhattan Project.

Photo and story by Wayne Wilhelm

Fellow Rotarian and president of the Chattanooga Regional Manufacturers Association, Tim Spires, capably filled in for our scheduled speaker, UPF Project Director, John Eschenberg, who had been summoned to special meetings in Washington, D.C. Tim discussed the past and future of the Manhattan Project and Oak Ridge, Tennessee, The Secret City.

The Manhatten Project was the major research and development program that produced the first atomic bomb during World War II. The project was launched out of an office in Manhattan, NY and was prompted by a letter from Albert Einstein to President Roosevelt in 1939 expressing concern over the potential use of atomic energy as a weapon. The Manhattan Project was directed by Major General Leslie Groves of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and featured lead scientists, Robert Oppenheimer, Enrico Fermi and E.O. Lawrence.

Christian Höferle Contrasts Peaches and Coconuts

Photo and Story by John Thomas


Clad in quintessentially Bavarian lederhosen, Christian Höferle addressed the Rotary Club of Cleveland on Tuesday, invoking peaches and coconuts, football and soccer, and nuances of region and dialect to illustrate and contrast German and American culture.  Christian’s prescription for bridging the divide included having fun together with music and food, along with modest servings of tolerance and patience on both sides.

What does Rotary mean to you? Is it simply an opportunity for you to get together each week with your friends over lunch and listen to (hopefully) an inspiring program? I am afraid that for too many that is all Rotary represents. Those members have not caught the vision that through Rotary you can join with more than a million other Rotarians to truly make a difference, not just in Cleveland, Bradley County, or even East Tennessee, but literally you can make a difference in the world as a whole.

But to truly make a difference will require you to get out of your comfort zone – and maybe even sacrifice a little. While you may not be able to go around the world to administer the polio vaccine to millions of children that are susceptible to the disease, you can give so that enough vaccine is available and so that others can go. Simply committing to give $40 a year to the END POLIO NOW campaign is your first step. Next consider giving $25 per quarter to become a “sustaining member” of the International Rotary Foundation. The sustaining member program, also called “Every Rotarian, Every Year,” allows Rotarians to contribute to the Foundation which funds a variety of projects. From those funds, our club and other clubs around the globe receive matching grants to carry out our humanitarian projects.

Beyond catching the vision of giving of your time and resources, we must actively work for Peace Through Service – the theme that Rotary International President Sakuji Tanaka has set for 2012–2013. The concept of peace is one that differs among people and cultures. While most would agree that peace is a lack of conflict or war, it also is the contentment that comes to a mother in India who knows that because a Rotarian provided a vaccine for her infant son that he will never suffer the ravages of the devastating polio virus.

To me, Peace Through Service was never more evident than when I attended the Rotary International Convention in Bangkok, Thailand with 35,000 other Rotarians from almost 200 countries of the world. As we as Rotarians in that massive convention hall concentrated on the goals we had in common, rather than on all our political, social, cultural, and religious differences, I truly realized that Rotary was much more than a weekly lunch meeting at the Mountain View Inn.

As the President of the Cleveland Rotary Club, I simply have two goals:

First, I want us, as a club, to do as much good as we possibly can for our community, our nation, and our world; and

Secondly, I want us to have as much fun as possible doing it.

I look forward to joining with you to put “Service above Self.” Let’s have a great, FUN year.

Blessings,

Arthur D. (Art) Rhodes

President 2012-2013

24th District State Representative Kevin Brooks

Story and Photo by John Thomas

Rotary Club of Cleveland’s Kevin Brooks, State Representative for the 24^th District, which is part of Bradley County, reported Tuesday on the accomplishments and difficult decisions of the 107^th General Assembly, and the work that still needs to be done in Nashville.  Kevin also answered questions from several Rotarians.

Literacy Committee co-chairman, Jay Leggett, announced this year's winners of the Rotary Club of Cleveland Interact Scholarship.

Jay explained that the selection committee had great difficulty in determining a single winner due to the outstanding quality of our applicants. Seven applicants were narrowed to three through a review of their individual application packages. The final three were personally interviewed by the selection committee on May 2. With the assistance of the respective boards of both the club and the Cleveland Rotary Foundation, it was decided that the club would support three winners this year.

Each winner served for at least three years in the Cleveland High Interact Club and presented exemplary records of service and academics.


Scholarship recipients from left, Aimee Murray, Becky Han and Briana Cooper.

Elizabeth H. Harting has been named the 2011-2012 Rotarian of the Year by the Rotary Club of Cleveland.  Ann McCoin, the 2010-2011 honoree, made the presentation during the April 24th noon meeting.

Elizabeth Harting has been a dedicated member of the Rotary Club since joining in 1991. She has served in many capacities with grace and good humor, intelligence and care. Her service has included being on the Board of Directors, Director of Club Service, the Rotary Foundation Board of Directors, the Group Study Exchange Chairman, the Rotarian’s Night Out Chairman, and many committees, most of these committees multiple times. Secretary’s Day, Vocational Service Week, Spouse’s Night, Four-Way Test, Membership Development, Adopt A Highway, Fitzgerald Golf Tournament and Fund Raiser, and many others. She is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow, and a member of the Bequest Society.

A citizen of Cleveland since 1979, she has served in many organizations including the Symphony Guild, United Way, and Civitan Club. A member of Broad Street United Methodist Church and First Presbyterian Church in Highlands, NC, she is one of five children born to an intrepid English mother and a father whose word was his bond, characteristics they obviously passed on to their daughter. 

She earned a batchelor’s degree from the historic Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC, a master’s degree in special education from Memphis State, and her accounting degree from UTC. Married to Dr. Don Harting, she is a partner in the firm of Harting, Bishop & Arrendale, PLLC.  She holds the official club classification of Accounting, Tax, but we know her as the Lovely and Lively Lil.

The Rotary Club of Cleveland has named Elizabeth an honorary Paul Harris Fellow as part of the presentation.

Dr. David L. Whitfield, Director of the SimCenter and Associate Dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

Story and photo by John Thomas

Using colorful slides and stories, Dr. David L. Whitfield described the work done by the National Center for Computational Engineering, the SimCenter, at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

“What we do at the SimCenter is application-driven research.   Our business is numerical simulation of fluid mechanics, electromagnetics, kinetic theory, structures, anything where there are conservation laws that describe physical phenomena.  There are three things involved in the computational engineering we do:  applied mathematics, advanced computing, and some form of engineering.”

Andong, Cambodia; location of the Build a City project.

Unimaginable problems, and the crushing poverty from which they stem, are the stuff of daily life for the displaced people of Andong, Kondong Kaw, Cambodia.   Living in makeshift homes of cardboard, plywood, sheet metal, and other temporary materials, they lack access to clean water and plumbing.  In monsoon season, water floods their sleeping area shin-deep, bringing with it the sewage that flows down the street outside their door.  The infected water is used for everything, including drinking and cooking. Parasites and bacteria flourish in the water, and mosquitos that carry dengue fever breed.

Story by John Thomas

Congratulations to Aimee Murray, Sandy Ha, and Briana Cooper for winning the Fred Brown Interview, James Bomar Interview, and James Lacy Essay Scholarships at the 47th Annual Interact Conference held in Pigeon Forge. $6,500 total for the girls. There are four scholarships given at conference, Cleveland High School Interact wins 3 of the 4!

CHS Interact also won 3rd place Community Service Project for their work in Toboggans for Toddlers.



CHS Interactors, from left: Sandy Ha, Aimee Murray and Briana Cooper.

Ann McCoin presented Reba Terry with a $7,495 grant from the Cleveland Rotary Foundation to fund a heating and air conditioning renovation project at The Caring Place.  A plaque, held by Reba Terry, will be displayed in the area acknowledging the gift.

The Caring Place grant was one of eight awards totaling $26,000 made in 2011 by the Cleveland Rotary Foundation to community organizations.



Reba Terry, Executive Director of The Caring Place; Ann McCoin, President of the Cleveland Rotary Foundation

Story and photo by John Thomas

Monika Zaldua, a 15-year-old Rotary Exchange student from Barcelona, Spain, is gaining a deep appreciation for our different culture and our different educational system during her year-long stay in the United States, through July 6, 2012.  In Barcelona, a beautiful city of 1.6 million people on Spain’s northeast Mediterranean coast, Monika lives with her two younger brothers, her airport services manager mother and her chemist father.  Monica has many interests, including dance, in which she has participated since age 6, skiing, soccer, swim team, and field hockey. 

In Cleveland, Monika is living with Catherine Rice and her daughter, Olivia Highsinger, while attending Cleveland High School.   She notes that school here is not as demanding as it was for her at home.  In Spain, education is mandatory and difficult.  There are no classifications such as junior or senior, just the subjects you must study.  School there is from 8 am to 5 pm each day, and consists of 13 subjects each trimester.  If you fail two classes, you must repeat the year.

Some of Monika’s friends from Barcelona are also exchange students in the United States, in cities like Boston and Miami, but Monica feels fortunate to be here because she loves Cleveland, Tennessee.  When asked what she would change about Cleveland, she mentioned the lack of public transportation, which restricts her mobility when no one is present to drive her.

Steve Carroll also spoke of his experience as an exchange student, and how he grew through exposure to a different culture in a way that could only have happened through his living in that culture day in and day out.  Steve studied stained glass in gothic cathedrals at the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris, which altered his course as an architect.  The disciplines he experienced, for example of making sketches in the morning and being required to have finished drawings prepared by the end of the day, were invaluable to him in his architectural career.  He also enjoyed the experience each day of seeing the rooftops of Paris from the fifth floor room he shared with a Buddhist houseboy for the family with whom he lived.

Ann McCoin shared memories of the many exchange students she met while growing up, through her father’s active involvement in Rotary, and in particular of the senior exchange student from Norway that lived with her family while Ann was in high school.  As a result, Ann has had a lifelong interest in Norway, and attended college there.  Her parents attended the student’s wedding in Norway.  Now, fifty years later, Ann is still friends with the student, who has become a respected doctor and lecturer in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Oslo.

From left: Host family members Catherine Rice and Olivia Hysinger; Rotary Exchange Student, Monika Zaldua and New Generations committee chairman, Roger Fuller  

Photo and story by John Thomas 

RI General Secretary John Hewko talks about how these five priorities can help strengthen Rotary: eradicating polio, the Foundation’s new grant making model, placing a value on the service projects of clubs, making Rotary more relevant to younger members, and positioning Rotary more fully as a major player in global humanitarian assistance and development.

Click here to view John Hewko's address at the Rotary International Assembly. . .

Jim Buckner, David Carroll and Amy Card-Lillios pictured with Rotary International General Secretary, John Hewko at the District 6780 Rotary Foundation Dinner - January 6, 2012. 

Past District Governor, Jim Buckner, accepts a contribution of $500 on behalf of the James L. Bomar Rotary Interact Scholarship Foundation from Cleveland Rotary Foundation President, Ann McCoin and Rotary Club of Cleveland President, Kim Casteel.

The purpose of the Bomar Interact Scholarship Foundation is to annually recognize outstanding and worthy Interact members in District 6780 with a scholarship award of a minimum of $1,000 each. To date, the foundation is awarding three $1,250 scholarships annually.

From left: Rotary Club of Cleveland President, Kim Casteel; Past District Governor, Jim Buckner; Cleveland Rotary Foundation President, Ann McCoin 

Photo by Wayne Wilhelm

The Rotary Club of Cleveland elected officers and directors for the 2012-2013 Rotary year during the December 20 meeting. These individuals bring significant talent and Rotary experience to lead our organization in the new Rotary year which begins on July 1, 2012. Our new officers and directors are:

U.S. Attorney, William Killian, is the chief federal law enforcement official tasked to represent the people of the Eastern District of Tennessee. U.S. Attorney Killian's territory includes over 2.5 million people living in the 41 county district. Killian was appointed to the position of U.S. Attorney by President Barack Obama in May 2010.

The U.S. Attorney's office represents the interests of the United States, both civil and criminal, in federal court. The office works closely with many federal departments to accomplish the mission to ensure fair and efficient administration of justice. Federal agents assigned to U.S. Attorney's office include: 80 FBI agents, 10 Secret Service, 4 Postal Service inspectors, 30 U.S. Marshals and numerous others including dedicated security personnel with the Tennessee Valley Authority. Killian's office includes a staff of 43 assistant U.S. Attorneys and over 60 support personnel.

The office of the U.S. Attorney has established several priorities for the district:

• Counterterrorism
• Project Safe Neighborhoods
• Civil Rights Enforcement
• Financial Fraud
• Environmental Enforcement
• Project Safe Childhood
• Drug Enforcement Initiation

The Eastern Tennessee U.S. Attorney's office maintains a 96% conviction rate and has recovered over $44 million in civil and criminal actions in 2011. Killian noted that the office recovers about three times more revenue than is required to run the office.

"We have a diverse country and one of the reasons people come here is to seek the justice that they may not have in their country," Killian said.

Rotarian, Michael Callaway, invited Killian to speak upon noting that many Rotarians had little knowledge about the functions of the U.S. Attorney's office. For additional information on the Eastern Tennessee District U.S. Attorney's Office, visit the website at http://www.justice.gov/usao/tne/index.html.

U.S. Attorney for the Eastern Tennessee District, William Killian

Photo by Wayne Wilhelm 

Rotarian, Amy Card-Lillios, presented Cleveland State Community College President, Carl Hite, with an annual check to fund an endowed scholarship at the institution during the November 29 meeting. The Rotary Club of Cleveland has funded scholarship opportunities at CSCC since the 1980s. 

L to R: Carl Hite, CSCC President; Amy Card-Lillios, Rotary Club of Cleveland

Photo by Wayne Wilhelm 

Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice, Cornelia Clark. 

"The SEC official clearly blew the call" according to Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice and Vanderbilt alumnus, Cornelia Clark, referencing the final play in the recent Vanderbilt vs. UT football game. Sometimes judges make mistakes too, acknowledged Clark. One has to try to make the best decision and always strive for justice given the time and resources available for consideration.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has the luxury of being able to take adequate time to rule on the cases brought forth. Approximately 75-80 cases are selected from 925 proceedings each year with sufficient time applied to interpret statutes, laws, or even the constitution. The supreme court cannot just grab "interesting" cases to act upon says Clark. Matters before the Tennessee Supreme Court must pass through at least two lower courts before being passed into the supreme court's jurisdiction. Each case begins as a lawsuit in some court.

A fair and competent judicial system keeps our state strong and our businesses sound. Yet, to most people, the courts system remains a mystery. When judges are doing a good job, there is little attention drawn to their actions. The courts system must provide the following attributes:

1. Ensure that the government and governmental officials are accountable and responsible,
2. Ensure that the laws are understandable and fair,
3. Ensure that the laws protect fundamental rights,
4. Ensure that the adjudication of rules is done in an impartial, ethical and intelligent manner.

Members of the Rotary Club of Cleveland gathered at the Cleveland Greenway on July 19 to officially dedicate the drinking fountain installed by the club this past April. Club vice-president, Pam Nelson, thanked those involved in the installation including, Lloyd Rogers, Wholesale Supply Group; Ben Nelson, Tennessee Craftsman; Wayne Wallace, WW Concrete and Allan Colloms who performed the plumbing for the project. Fred Garmon with People for Care and Learning provided the landscaping around the perimeter of the fountain area and Kim Randolph of Ralph Buckner Funeral Home provided the granite marker.

Rotary International has a worldwide emphasis on clean drinking water while the Rotary Club of Cleveland is an enthusiastic supporter of the Cleveland Greenway. The drinking fountain is a complementary project to the Willow Street Entry Portal and picnic area that was installed to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Rotary.

The fountain is located just off the Harris Circle trailhead and parking area near the newly installed restroom facilities. 

From left: Wayne Wilhelm, David Chaffin, Cameron Fisher, Gary Sears, Allan Colloms, Tom Thomas, Ben Nelson, Pam Nelson, Norm Fontana, Amy Card-Lillios, Jerry Bird, Julia Scoggins, Art Rhodes, Kendra Bailey, Kim Casteel, Nicholas Lillios, Harrison Brown, David Carroll, Victor Boltniew, guest, Aaron Weatherford, Ryan Marshall. 

The Rotary Club of Cleveland was well represented at the 2011 District 6780 Assembly held on May 14 at Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville. Incoming officers and board members had the opportunity to learn about Rotary operations and share ideas with other District 6780 clubs. District Rotary Foundation committee chairman, David Carroll, moderated the breakout sessions on the Rotary Foundation. More than 200 District 6780 Rotarians attended the event.

Pictured from left: Don Ritzhaupt, Jan Wilms, David Carroll, Wayne Wilhelm, Tim Spires, Bill George, Cameron Fisher, Kim Casteel, Art Rhodes, Craig Mullinax and Norm Fontana. 

Literacy Committee Chairman, Bill Creech, and Park View Dictionary Project Team Leader, Wayne Wilhelm, present Park View Elementary School with a Rotary Four-Way Test banner. Park View principal, Deb Bailey, wants her students to be exposed to these important ethical standards as part of the development of their leadership skills. Also pictured are student leaders from the fifth-grade classes at Park View Elementary. 

Park View Elementary School's third grade classes received student dictionaries as part of a Rotary Club of Cleveland literacy project during December.

Cameron Fisher and 2011-2012 District Governor Frank Rothermel set the pace.

Photo by Don Ritzhaupt 

Check out our new historical documents section located in the "members only" area of the Rotary Club of Cleveland website. View interesting administrative notes, programs, brochures and directories dating all the way back to the first year of our club's existence. See the original program from the 1927 Ladies' Night event held at the Centenary College Chapel. Did you know that J.M. Dunlap held the classification of Ice Cream Manufacturing according to the 1937 directory? On January 11, 1928, Cleveland Rotarians were treated to a selection of harmonica music by M. Cloyde Sullivan also known as "Harmonica Mike" radio's harmonica king.

We hope to continue to digitally preserve the history of our organization for future generations of Rotarians. If you have Rotary documents or photographs with historical interest, please pass them along to our Director of Publications, Wayne Wilhelm. 

To access the historical documents, use your user id and password to access the "My ClubRunner" section of the website. Find the historical documents under the "Club Documents" link. Note that some historical photographs are listed in the "Photo Albums" section of the main page of the website under the heading, "Memorabilia".

As of September 28, 2012
*As of November 30, 2012

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