Veterans and Big Canoe Rotarians Tom Mallini and Steve Curry raise the flag at the flagpole dedication ceremony held September 15, 2022
It was a good day to be a Rotarian in Big Canoe on Thursday, Sept. 15 as several proud moments occurred.
At 3 p.m., about 50 Rotarians, veterans, community members and Big Canoe POA officials attended a flagpole presentation ceremony in the Wildcat Pavilion area of Big Canoe. Big Canoe Rotary president Fran Farias, serving as master of ceremonies, said, “We are gathered here for an important patriotic and solemn purpose – to witness the dedication and presentation of the flag of our country, “Old Glory,” to honor our Rotarian veterans and to commemorate the 50th anniversary of our Big Canoe community.
Noting that the Rotary Club of Big Canoe was chartered on June 2022, she added, “We wanted our first community project to be a meaningful and long-lasting addition for our community. More than 30 percent of our club members are veterans and it is fitting that we honor those who have served our country past, present and in the future.”
Seven Rotarians who served in the Armed Forces read the poem “I Am Your Flag.” Then, Tom Mallini and Steve Curry raised the flag to its full height and then lowered it to half-staff in honor of Queen Elizabeth II who died Sept. 8, 2022. Attendees said the Pledge of Allegiance and Teri Sawyer, Big Canoe’s membership director, sang “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Rotary District 6910 Governor Gerry Taylor, along with Assistant Governor Brooke Anderson, attended the ceremony, followed by the Big Canoe Rotary meeting where Taylor initiated Grady Moss into Rotary membership. He also welcomed Bob Hopper and Nikki Street as Paul Harris Fellows.
Taylor addressed the Big Canoe Rotary Club. After scanning the room he said, “I see leaders.” He added, “we all have done great things in our communities and our world. We can do more.”
The post Big Canoe Rotarians Present Flagpole to Community appeared first on Inside the Gates.