Johnson City Rotary in the News
Rotary Club past president Mitchell Meredith with (from left) Emmanuel School of Religion President Michael Sweeney, ETSU Vice President University Advancement Jeff Anderson and Milligan College President Donald R. Jeanes. Each school received a monetary gift from the Rotary Club.
(Ron Campbell / Johnson City Press)
Fundraising increase lets Rotary
give back more
By Rex Barber
Press Staff Writer
rbarber@johnsoncitypress.com
Significantly more money was raised by the Johnson City Rotary Club this year for area organizations than in years past.
The Rotary Club, which celebrated the 93rd anniversary of the granting of its charter Tuesday, raised more than $34,000 this past year, said Rotarian Mitch Meredith. The organization has typically raised between $10,000 and $12,000 annually for area charities and service organizations.
“This is the largest amount in any of our fiscal years ... that we’ve contributed to our local agencies and organizations,” Meredith said shortly after a Rotary luncheon at the Johnson City Country Club Tuesday. “This club couldn’t do it without the community coming out and supporting the things we do.”
Meredith said the money mainly came from the first Battle of the Pigs BBQ and Car Show held in May 2009 at the Appalachian Fairgrounds. The second annual Battle of the Pigs was held this past weekend.
The other major charitable fundraiser for the Rotary Club is the Rotary Wheel.
The Rotary Club is an international organization dedicated to serving others. Johnson City’s club was formed June 1, 1917. This year’s theme for the Rotarians’ charitable efforts was youth issues, and that theme was reflected in the Johnson City Rotary Club’s contributions this year.
Receiving donations from the Rotary’s fund this year were Milligan College, East Tennessee State University, Emmanuel School of Religion, Girls On The Run, Girls Inc., Johnson City Symphony, Hands On! Regional Museum, Imagination Library, Children’s Advocacy Center, Boy Scouts of America’s local Sequoyah Council, Rotary Instructional Baseball Team, Rotary Little League, Area 3 Special Olympics, Adult Day Services, Keystone Dental, Appalachian Service Project and Take Back the Night.
Barbara Sutton, Shelly Burton and Chris Bowen were presented their Rotary Club Teacher of the Year awards during the Rotary Club luncheon at the Johnson City Country Club Tuesday.
(Lee Talbert / Johnson City Press) Johnson City Press ,
Johnson City, Tennessee, on Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Civic club honors Johnson City Teachers of the Year
By Staff Reports
The Johnson City Rotary Club recognized three educators from the Johnson City School System Tuesday afternoon who were named 2009-10 Teachers of the Year.
Shelley Burton, Chris Bowen and Barbara Sutton were selected by fellow teachers as the top teachers at their respective schools.
Burton, a third-grade teacher at South Side, was selected as the elementary winner. She has seven years of teaching experience, with her last four years being at South Side. She has a master of arts degree in reading education and has been involved in many staff development events as a teacher and trainer.
Bowen is a seventh-grade teacher at Indian Trail Middle School and teaches science and social studies. She is a six-year veteran educator and has extensive expertise in using technology and Learning-Focused strategies in the classroom.
Sutton is a 13-year veteran as a high school English teacher. She began her career in Duval County, Fla., Public Schools and has been on the Science Hill High School staff since 2005.
The Rotary Club recognizes the school system’s Teachers of the Year and their contributions to education each year.
Story Published in the
Class to teach people how to be certified BBQ judges
By Doug Janz
Press Tempo Writer
djanz@johnsoncitypress.com
It’s one of those jobs where you admire the person who does it simply because it sounds like such a great job – barbecue judge.
There are no judge’s robes (but an apron or bib may be wise) and the courtroom is a table lined with some of the best smoked chicken, beef and pork anywhere. The judge must sample the entries, then rule on which ones are the best.
Sounds like something many of us would enjoy, with a minimum of arm-twisting. But before anyone can judge a major barbecue competition they have to be certified, and the Johnson City Rotary Club, along with the Kansas City Barbeque Society, will host a Certified Barbeque Judging Class on Feb. 20 in Johnson City.
Two KCBS instructors will lead the class. Cost is $55 for KCBS members, $90 for non-KCBS members, and those who complete the workshop will be able to apply to judge at major KCBS events such as the Battle of the Pigs competition the Rotary Club sponsors in May at the Appalachian Fairgrounds.
“We’ll have actual barbecue teams cooking for the class,” said organizer Jacob Higginbotham of the Rotary Club, “and we’ll have it set up exactly the way judging is set up at competitions, with six people to a table. You’ll learn what it takes to be a certified judge and you’ll eat for the whole four hours.”
The event will be held at Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church, 225 Princeton Road, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. To enter, contact: Jacob Higginbotham, JC Rotary Club, PO Box 1187, 37605. More information is available at www.battleofthepigs.com.
“We’re expecting 40 to 70 people. We’ve already got people registered from several states,” Higginbotham said. “As of right now, we’re the only class set up in the southeastern part of the United States.”
The instructors, both well-known in the barbecue world, are Ronnie Harwell and Harvey Hamrick. Kansas City Barbeque Society is one of the leading such organizations in the nation. For more information, visit www.kcbs.us.
The second annual Battle of the Pigs will take place May 28-29 at the fairgrounds. Higginbotham, the main organizer for last year’s inaugural Battle of the Pigs, said becoming a judge and helping judge competitions is a great experience, and it goes beyond just getting to eat great smoked meats.
“As a judge, you’d go to different towns for the competitions, and it’s a lot of fun seeing that area, getting to try barbecue from all over the country and getting to know people from all over.”
Higginbotham said it is important for people to realize that becoming a judge through this class does not guarantee anyone a spot as a judge at Battle of the Pigs, but they would be qualified to apply. Proceeds from the judging class are to cover the expenses of putting on the event, he added, and if anything extra is netted, it will go toward Rotary’s community projects.