The Washington Evening Rotary Club met Thursday night at the Washington Yacht & Country Club in the upper deck overlooking Broad Creek. President David McLawhorn called the meeting to order and welcomed members and the guests. Following the Pledge of Allegiance, Bartow Houston led in the singing of America the Beautiful and Russell Smith offered a moving prayer and blessing for the upcoming meal. Following the meal, Shanon Carter gave an interesting program about the Beaufort-Hyde Community Foundation of which Shanon is a board member and currently serves as president of the organization. The Foundation receives gifts of money, securities and real estate and these funds are then combined with the funds from other foundations throughout North Carolina and then managed by the North Carolina Community Foundation. As the funds grow, the monies are returned to the Beaufort-Hyde area in the form of community impact grants, which are administered locally. When asked about the administrative costs associated with the management of these funds, Shanon said they average between 1 and 1 1/2 percent. Following his presentation, McLawhorn presented the speaker with a highly coveted Rotary pen.

McLawhorn called upon Bill Wall to make a very special presentation. Wall then asked Marcia Griffin to join him at the podium. Wall told Ms. Griffin that the Board of Directors of the Club wanted to honor the memory and legacy of Past President Charlie Griffin in a permanent and lasting fashion. Wall then donned a Rotary Fishing Tournament T-shirt (long sleeved, all cotton with a pocket — Charlie’s perfect T-shirt) and asked Sam Grimes, Whit Blackstone and Tim Klugh to assist him in reading the resolution that changed the name of the annual fishing tournament to the Washington Rotary Club Charlie Griffin Memorial Fishing Tournament. Ms. Griffin was then presented with a framed copy of the resolution and she said a heartfelt thanks to “the Club that had meant so much to Charlie.”

The meeting concluded with the members saying the Four Way Test of the things we think, say and do.