GOOD NEWS: Rotary Club of Charleston celebrates 100th birthday

Rotarians Dan Ravenel and John Tecklenburg, both past presidents of the club, with wildlife statuary at the Rotary Fountain.

Staff reports  | The Rotary Club of Charleston marked the 100th anniversary of its formation with the Saturday dedication of a bronze sculpture display adorning the Rotary Fountain in Marion Square. As part of the celebration, club members also held a Saturday evening gala at the Francis Marion Hotel.

The display by wildlife artist Scott Penegar features small animals in bronze that are indigenous to the Lowcountry. The art will be mounted on the fountain, originally commissioned by the club in 2002.  It welcomes visitors and residents to the southwest corner of Marion Square. The Rotary Club of Charleston has a long history of beautifying Marion Square, dating back to a beautification project in the 1940s when members helped to install plants and trees to upgrade the popular gathering spot.

The dedication of the display featured a proclamation by Rotarian and Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg honoring Saturday as “Historic Rotary Club of Charleston Day.” 

Part of the club’s continuing commitment to Charleston is community service, which members highlighted through a $50,000 grant to the Charleston Police Department to assist in the creation of a Leadership Development Institute.  Club members also viewed a retrospective video on the impact of Rotary in Charleston, including its role in helping start the local chapter of the Boy Scouts, the Trident United Way, the Charles Webb Center, and the Coastal Community Foundation.

The Rotary Club of Charleston, founded in 1920, is comprised of business and civic leaders who are dedicated to making an impact through service and support of important initiatives both locally and internationally. More: www.charleston-rotary.org

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• Previous opinion: South Carolina needs to expand access to 4K education.

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