Rotary President Velda Eugenias recently passed the gavel to Wilbur (Bubba) Masters, who will serve as the new president of Gadsden Rotary Club 4036 for the 2014 – 15 fiscal year. Eugenias has led the club this year keeping in step with the international theme of “engage rotary change lives.” Eugenias commented, “This has been a very exciting and rewarding year for our club.
With the help of our members we have accomplished so much and fulfilled our mission in various ways.” Velda Eugenias is the owner of Eugenias Advisory Group in Gadsden.
During the past year Gadsden Rotary received six awards and was recognized for promoting literacy, membership sustainability, Interact and Foundation participation, and received a Star Club and Presidential Citation Award.
In keeping with the mission to engage, inspire, and transform local and global communities through service and fellowship, Gadsden Rotary completed a vast amount of projects this year.
Through the members hard work and help from the community the Gadsden club supported Children’s Hospital Critical Care Transport helicopter, the American Red Cross, Children’s Policy Council, Family Success Center, United Way, the Paul Harris Foundation and Polio Plus making contributions totaling more than $17,500.
The service projects this year included Read across America, Fifth Grade Citizenship Awards, Rachel’s Challenge, Backpack Project, Christmas Shopping for Underprivileged, Dictionaries for Third Grades, and Fraud Prevention.
In addition, the club sponsored and inducted 38 charter members of the Gadsden City High School Interact Club.
The third annual Little Black Dress Affair was held in September and more than $15,000 was raised to benefit Children’s Hospital Critical Care Transport and local charities. Masters said, “This has become the signature event for the club and we are currently planning this year’s Little Black Dress which is scheduled for September 25. I am looking forward to leading our club and striving to serve our community in existing and innovative new ways.”
Masters is City President of Regions Bank and will serve as president of Gadsden Rotary through June 2015.
Rotary, the oldest civic club, is a worldwide organization of more than 1.2 million business, professional and community leaders.
The Rotary motto is “service above self.” For more information about the Gadsden Rotary Club contact Bubba Masters at 256-549-3530.