Almost 50 people gathered this morning to thank outgoing Rotary Sunrise President Fred Warden for his year of leadership in Rotary and welcome incoming President Shaun Pennington as she begins her reign over the breakfast club. Joining the group of Pennington’s well-wishers were: Virgin Islands Governor John deJongh; Michael Toussaint, assistant district governor for Rotary District 7020; Molly Morris from the St. Thomas Source; Dr. Laverne Ragster from UVI; Scott Bradley from My Brothers’ Workshop; Colette Monroe from the V.I. Governor’s Office as well as many incoming and outgoing presidents from other St. Thomas Rotary Clubs.
Everyone joined the Sunrise members in extending congratulations to Pennington and offered their hopes for a prosperous year in service to the community. It is expected that this year’s Rotary International theme, “Engage Rotary Change Lives,” will serve as the perfect backdrop for the work that Pennington and Rotary Sunrise Club will try to accomplish in just 12 short months.
Pennington’s cadre of officers include: Michelle Vanterpool, president elect; Fred Warden, Immediate past president; Jeni Smith, treasurer; and Claudia LaBorde, secretary. Her directors include: Nigel Bailey, Dan Hazeldine, Valerie Hazeldine, Michele Hyndman-Hodge, Susan MacFarland-Helton, Diana Parker and Meaghan Richardson.
Rotary is known worldwide as a service organization. The object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster: 1) The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service; 2) High ethical standards in business and professions, the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations and the dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society; 3) The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business and community life; and 4) the advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
Anyone interested in joining Rotary Sunrise may attend one of the morning meetings held every Tuesday at 7:15 a.m. at the Windward Passage Hotel.