Food Needed for Local Poor

In Memoriam: Rotarian Andrew Searle

Our condolences to the family of Rortarian Andrew Searle, who passed away November 27, 2012.

He will be missed, and his contributions to a better world live on.

Food Drive Dates Announced

Initial Collection Points for the Food Drive serving the needy in the Newport Community:

• Friday, November 30, 2012 at Newport Red & White Grocery Store 3pm-6pm
• Friday, December 7, 2012 at Newport Red & White Grocery Store 3pm-6pm

Other dates and locations may be added as they become available. Proceeds benefit the Matthew 25 Fund of St. James United Methodist Church, a charitable corporation benefiting the Newport Community.

Scholarship Award Winner Overcomes Obstacles

Katherine Myrick (2nd fr left), and the Moses Howard family

Katherine Myrick is an impressive young lady. She is the 2012-13 Winner of the Moses Howard Scholarship sponsored by the Howard family and the Newport Rotary Club.

Katherine addressed the club during its regular meeting on November 26, 2012 on the topic of education, her education goals, and the hurdles she had to overcome in pursuing her education thus far. A first generation college student, she is pursuing her AA Degree at Carteret Community College, and has recently been accepted into the Transfer program to complete her BA or BS at UNC-Chapel Hill. She hopes to major in Physical Therapy or in a major that will let her work on the issue of children's obesity. Katherine was accompanied at the meeting by her mother, Marcelle Myrick, and her grandmother, Beatrice Mahoney.  

The Moses Howard Scholarship is presented annually to a 2nd year student attending Carteret Community College. Moses Howard, a Past President of the Newport Rotary Club, was integral in the establishment of Carteret Community College, sat on its Board, and was a Carteret County Commissioner. The award was presented by Newport Rotary Past President Larry Hoard, son of Moses Howard, and other members of the Howard family.      

Newport Food Pantry in Dire Need

Tammy Blizzard, Director of The Matthew 25 Fund

Tammy Blizzard, Director of the St. James United Methodist Church Matthew 25 Fund, was the featured speaker at the November 19, 2012 meeting of the Newport Rotary Club. She informed the club of the dire need for food items for the less fortunate in the Newport community during the Holiday season. The pantry is bare.

The Matthew 25 Fund operates with the Thrift Shop at St. James as an independent 501(c)(3) charity that evaluates need and provides tangible emergency financial, food and clothing support for the less fortunate in the community. Proceeds from the Thrift Shop fund the "giving" part of the ministry. The organization also hosts monthly "Federal Food" giveaways. There is a loose "network" of churches and non-profits that work together to try to meet these needs. The Matthew 25 Fund is a key player in the Newport community and Carteret County.

While started by the church, the organization is independent, and is now a community wide endeavor. It accepts referrals from many sources.

Newport Rotary is planning its Food Drives now to support the Food Pantry during the holiday season.

Newport Rotary Receives Giving Award

District 7730 Rotary Foundation Chair PDG Nancy Barbee from the Maysville, NC Rotary Club was the guest speaker at Newport Rotary.

Our Speaker: District Rotary Foundation Chair Nancy Barbee,
with President Steve Blizzard

Ms. Barbee and Assistant Governor Bill Kaeser presented to the club an award for ranking highly among the 51 clubs in the district in per capita (per member) giving to our Rotary Foundation. Only 11 clubs district-wide were honored for reaching the award milestones. The club reached and exceeded the $100 average per member goal and had 100% member participation. She said that Newport Rotary was already a "believer" in our Foundation and supported it with giving and participation in its programs.

Assistant Governor Bill Kaeser presents our Foundation's
Support Award for 2011-12

"Instead of talking about all the good things our Foundation does, I will share with you some of the personal moments in my life where our Rotary Foundation had touched someone and made a difference in their life". 

She recounted several personal situations where she knew that lives had been changed, including a memorable one about her student, Darrell, and the impact that a local Maysville Rotary Club project, supported by a grant from our Foundation, provided meals and an educational opportunity that was lacking in that community. Years later, an adult Darrell approached her and thanked her and Rotary for the impact the program had on his life and his situation.