Rotary recognition

Rotary recognition Subhead Rotary district governor honors Bosque County Rotary Club Nathan Diebenow Editor Wed, 06/19/2024 - 06:37 Image

• On behalf of the Bosque County Rotary Club, club member Tim Talley accepted two banners recognizing the local chapter's donations to Rotary International from District Governor Dr. Bob Crouch at the Clifton Civic Center last Thursday, June 13. Nathan Diebenow | The Clifton Record

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The Bosque County Rotary Club received high praise and notable recognition from Rotary District #5870 Governor Dr. Bob Crouch during a ceremony held at Clifton Civic Center on Thursday, June 13.

The event highlighted the club's exceptional contributions and steadfast commitment to the ideals of Rotary International.

Gov. Crouch began his address with a light-hearted apology for not wearing his signature kilt, explaining he had a work meeting immediately following the ceremony. Despite the casual attire, his admiration for the Bosque County Rotary Club was evident.

'Since my tenure as assistant governor in 2018, I've had the pleasure of witnessing this club's unwavering dedication to our community and beyond,' he said. 'Today, I'm honored to represent our past governor Shannon Coleman in presenting these awards.'

The Bosque County Rotary Club was recognized with two prestigious banners. The first Foundation Giving Club' banner – signifies that every member of the club contributed to the Rotary Foundation in the past year. The second – the 'Every Rotarian Every Year' banner – is awarded to clubs whose members donate an average of $100 or more per capita.

Crouch emphasized the significance of these achievements by noting that only 3,800 clubs out of over 37,000 worldwide received the foundation giving banner, placing the Bosque County club in the top 10-percent globally for foundation giving.

'The contributions you make not only support your local initiatives but also extend to communities across Texas, the United States, and around the world,' Crouch said. 'Your generosity is a testament to the spirit of Rotary.'

Boutwell’s tales

Following the awards presentation, the club was treated to a humorous talk by local artist George Boutwell. Known for his vivid depictions of Texas life, Boutwell entertained the audience with stories from his memoir, 'Texas In My Windshield.'

Boutwell's anecdotes – ranging from the trials of transporting his artwork to near-misses with disaster – had the Rotarians in stitches. One particularly memorable tale involved a box of his paintings nearly being crushed on a busy freeway, only to be miraculously recovered intact.

In another story, Boutwell recounted a humorous encounter at a Houston art show where his attempts to avoid making a mess with his lunch ended in a spill that left him with soda-filled cowboy boots.

Such is the unpredictable world of a traveling artist; the meeting concluded with warm applause for Boutwell.

About Bosque County Rotary Club Founded on February 17, 1975, the Bosque County Rotary Club is a local branch of one of the largest service organizations in the world – Rotary International.

The mission of Rotary, as stated on its website, is to 'provide service to others, promote integrity, and advanceworldunderstanding, goodwill, and peace through [the] fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.'

Rotary is a nonpolitical and non-religious organization. Membership is by application or invitation and based on various social factors. There are over 46,000 member clubs worldwide, with a membership of 1.4 million individuals, known as Rotary members.

The Bosque County Rotary Club is one of 56 clubs in Rotary District 5870, which started in 1915 with the Rotary Clubs of Austin and Waco.

The Bosque County Rotary Club meets every Thursday at 12 p.m. at the Clifton Civic Center located at 403 West Third Street in Clifton.