Bullard Rotary takes flight
By Lori Mellinger editor@bullardnews.com

Bullard Rotary members thank the Jacksonville club for its sponsorship. From left, are Larry Morgan, Jacksonville president Greg Stirneman, Guy Martin and Roger Nygaard.

It's been almost a year in the making, but Bullard's Rotary Club is now on firm footing.

President Roger Nygaard - along with members Larry Morgan and Guy Martin - took a trip to Jacksonville's Rotary meeting last week, to thank the club for its help.

"We could have never done this without you," Nygaard told Jacksonville members. "We now have our 20 members, and we are working on getting the charter.

The club was sponsored by Jacksonville's club, as per the requirements of Rotary International. Every new club must have a sponsor until it reaches 20 members.

They have, however, been functioning as an autonomous club since inception.

"We've already been doing projects," said Larry Morgan, chair of community service for the club. "For example, we've been involved with the new visitor information sign through the chamber of commerce and we had a blood drive last weekend."

Morgan, Nygaard and most of the other members are no strangers to Rotary.

The two were in Tyler's Sunrise Rotary together, and with their help, the club can finally stand on its own.

"We have a thriving Kiwanis club already in Bullard," Morgan said. "And they do great work in the community.

"We believe the addition of Rotary gives more light to community service clubs."

While getting on its feet, the Jacksonville club helped out immeasurably, Morgan said.

"They offered everything - support, guidance, counsel, and even money," he said.

The next step for the club is a banquet celebrating its chartered status, which members said would likely happen at Eagle's Bluff Country Club in the next few months.

"It's rare to be a part of a brand new club," Morgan said. "And we're all very proud."

Rotary is a volunteer organization with over 32,000 clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas.

The organization initiates humanitarian programs that address today's challenging issues, such as hunger, poverty, and illiteracy.

Rotary club members represent a cross-section of business and professional leaders worldwide.

These 1.2 million men and women donate their expertise, time, and funds to support local and international projects that help people in need and promote understanding among cultures.

Rotary's flagship program is its effort to protect children against polio, with the goal of ending the disease throughout the world.