Rowan Rotarians attend mid-year assembly

Published 12:04 am Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Rotary clubs of Salisbury and China Grove represented Rowan County at the Rotary District 7680 Mid-year Assembly in Statesville on Saturday.

Salisbury Club President Karen Hobson, China Grove Club President Diane Folk, Salisbury President-Elect Rocky Cabagnot, China Grove Club Chief of Staff Matt Folk and Assistant Governor for Rowan County Cindy Fink attended the event.

District Governor Kevin Kendrick gave an overview of District Progress since July 1, 2024. He highlighted membership, district grants received, the fall membership summits and local proclamations for World Polio Day in October. Kendrick paid special attention to the Rotary response to Hurricane Helene and the devastation in western North Carolina.

Rotarians in District 7680, which contains some of the counties named in the disaster area and borders the western counties of the disaster area, raised over $52,000, which was matched by $50,000 from district funds. Some of these funds were distributed early in the rescue process to fire departments for fuel.

In addition, the district applied for a $25,000 grant from the Zone 33/34 Disaster Relief fund for Bounty and Soul, a non-profit organization that provides boxes of nutritious food for anyone across the Swannanoa and Black Mountain areas. The funds have benefited Bounty and Soul, where their weekly budget for food increased from $8,000 to $20,000 per week. Over 20 Rotarians from Salisbury, China Grove, and District 7680 drove to the Bounty and Soul Warehouse and volunteer center in Black Mountain to pack boxes of nutritious food for western NC residents. Volunteering will continue through April. Students from the soon-to-be-inducted Salisbury High School Interact club are planning a volunteer trip to Black Mountain in February.

District Governor Kevin Kendrick encouraged the more than 75 attendees to attend upcoming events, including the district conference on May 1-2 in Statesville, and to mentor students at the Seminar for Tomorrow’s Leaders at Gardner Webb University in July.

Cabagnot gave a brief presentation about Rotaract. He explained that Rotaract is Rotary for ages 18-30, and it was started at UNC-Charlotte in 1968. A UNCC student from Salisbury, Chloe Redfern is the newly installed president of the re-established Rotaract Club. Cabagnot asked the group to connect with their children, grandchildren or friends who are students at any college or University and encourage them to get involved or start a Rotaract Club at their location.

Additional Committee Chairs presented information about Youth Rotary Exchange, a new Club Visioning Project, the Peace Initiative, Membership and Public Image, and Public Relations.

Local Rotarians who serve on the district level include David Post, CART (Coins for Alzheimer’s Trust) Fund Chair; Cabagnot, district rotaract chair; and Cindy Fink.

Anyone who is interested in Rotary Club Membership in Rowan County can contact Cindy Fink at cfink@mowrowan.org.