20th Anniversary Celebration

On Wednesday evening, May 25, 2011 Rotarians from the Frederick County Club gathered at the Winchester Country Club to pat themselves on the back and take a break from their normal community work. Formed in Stephens City, Virginia in March 1991 and officially chartered in May of 1991 as the Rotary Club of Stephens City, the Club reached its 20 year anniversary this month.

The motto of Rotary is, “Service Above Self”. This phrase was first used in over a hundred years ago in a speech at the first Rotary convention held in Chicago. For the past 20 years since it’s formation with 22 charter members, the Club has held true to the Rotary motto by working hard to raise funds for community needs. Now at nearly 50 members, the Club continues its tradition embedded in the Rotary motto by starting a new tradition of honoring someone that works every day to help our community.
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Fran Ricketts, Founder of C-CAP, Congregational Community Action Program was honored with the first “Service Above Self” award presented by the Club in its 20 year history. Club President Joe Myer thanked her for her tireless efforts to help feed families in need, throughout our community. She lives the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self” every day with C-CAP.

C-CAP is one of the many organizations that the Rotary Club of Frederick has helped to support over the past 20 years. The Club makes weekly donations to C-CAP’s food pantry. C-CAP is a non-profit, charitable organization that is funded by area churches, businesses, civic groups, bequests, and private individuals. As an all-volunteer organization, C-CAP, thanks to the tireless efforts of leaders like Fran Ricketts and the support of organizations like Rotary, is able to put 97% of every dollar donated right back into the community to help support and feed families.

Friends, family and even a few of the original charter members of the Club attended the 20th Anniversary celebration. Over the years the Club has gone to great efforts to keep the organization open, friendly and family oriented. The Rotary Club of Frederick County has now grown over the past 20 years to nearly 50 members and is one of the few “breakfast” service organizations in the region. The Club meets every Tuesday at 7:30 am in Winchester on the campus of Shenandoah University in the Allen Dining Hall with weekly programs and speakers. The friendly, close–knit, family oriented Club has always supported organizations that help children and families. C-CAP is one such community organization the Club has supported over its 20 history.