Rotary Club of Anderson

06/10/2026

Thank you again the to Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce for partnering with Anderson University, The Ron Blue Center at Anderson University and the Rotary Club of Anderson for our First Annual Economic Outlook & Stock Market Forecast on January 13, 2026.

Our joint program represents three of the four oldest institutions in City of Anderson, SC - Local Government - Chamber founded in 1903, Anderson University in 1911, and the Rotary Club of Anderson in 1917- that are natural partners in the livelihood of our community.

The program was hosted by Director of the Ron Blue Center & Rotary President Rick Smyth featuring a panel including Victor Foster CEO Kylie Felker, South Carolina Pension Fund Chief Investment Officer Bryan Moore, and Economist and University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business Professor Bill Hauk. We had over 130 in attendance for our outlook and will be planning our 2nd Annual Outlook on January 19, 2027.

We hope you all can join us again for another excellent luncheon event!

06/06/2026

What a magical day at Homeland Park Primary School! ✨🎩

The Rotary Club of Anderson was proud to sponsor a special magic show for the students at HPPS as a fun way to celebrate the end of the school year. Tim Sonefelt put on an incredible performance that had the students laughing, amazed, and fully engaged from start to finish. We also enjoyed handing out prizes to students, making the day even more memorable and fun for everyone involved.

Thank you to Homeland Park Primary School for allowing us to be part of such a special event, and thank you to Tim Sonefelt for sharing his talent and bringing so much joy to the students. We are grateful for the opportunity to support and encourage the young people in our community!

06/02/2026

What a wonderful day at the Rotary Club of Anderson as we celebrated the leaders who have helped shape our club through the years at our Past Presidents Luncheon! 💛💙

We were delighted to begin our meeting with a beautiful performance from a string quartet of the Greater Anderson Musical Arts Consortium (GAMAC). We are grateful for their time and for sharing their gifts with our club.

We were honored to welcome many of our past presidents, both current members and those who were able to join us from outside the club. We are deeply grateful for their years of service, leadership, and commitment to both Rotary and the Anderson community. Their dedication has helped build the strong foundation our club stands on today.

Our meeting began with an invocation from Timothy Self, followed by a Membership Moment from Gregory Steele. Greg shared how he and his wife came to truly appreciate the value of Anderson after moving away and realizing how much they missed the sense of community found here. After returning to Anderson in 2018 and following in his father’s legal legacy, Greg discovered that Rotary provided a meaningful way to connect, serve, and give back to the community he loves.

We were also proud to recognize two outstanding Paul Harris Fellows. Courtney Bell White was pinned as a Paul Harris Fellow Plus One, and Robert Rainey was pinned as a Paul Harris Fellow Plus Seven. Congratulations to both of them, and thank you for your continued generosity and dedication to The Rotary Foundation.

President Rick Smyth then introduced our very own Carol Burdette as Mistress of Ceremonies for the afternoon. Carol did an exceptional job honoring our past presidents and guiding us through a memorable program.

A special moment came as the sons and grandson of Douglas McDougald, who served as Club President from 1971–1972, accepted a certificate on his behalf in recognition of his contributions to our club. We were also honored to recognize Marshall Pickens, our President Emeritus and Club President from 1976–1977, as we celebrated the 50th anniversary of his presidency and presented him with a commemorative certificate.

Carol then facilitated three engaging Past President Panels featuring leaders from the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s. These discussions provided valuable insight as our past presidents shared stories, advice, challenges they faced, lessons learned, and their perspectives on leading the club during their respective eras. Their reflections reminded us of our rich history while inspiring optimism for the future.

Thank you again to Carol Burdette for serving as our MC and for helping us celebrate the remarkable leaders who have guided our club through the decades. We also thank everyone who attended and helped make this event so meaningful.

We look forward to seeing everyone at our next meeting on June 16th!

05/22/2026

What a special way to wrap up another wonderful year at Homeland Park Primary School! 🎉🧁

We are so grateful for the incredible Rotary members who showed up throughout the year to celebrate birthdays, serve cupcakes, and make these students feel so loved and special. From smiles and laughter to sweet treats and happy memories, this partnership continues to be one of our favorite traditions.

Thank you to Homeland Park Primary for allowing us to be a small part of these celebrations and for all you do for your students each day. We are already looking forward to the fall as we continue supporting this amazing school and celebrating these incredible kids! 💙💛

05/19/2026

Another great Tuesday at Rotary Club of Anderson! 🌟

With President Rick Smyth out of town, our incoming president and Membership Chair, Luther Hill, led today’s meeting and opened with a meaningful Memorial Day prayer honoring those who have served and sacrificed as we approach the holiday weekend.

During our Membership Moment, Kyle White shared that growing up in Anderson it seemed everyone wanted to leave, but Kyle felt differently. He spoke on how Rotary gives him an opportunity to help make our community even better.

Liz Jones Brock also reminded us that our Past Presidents Meeting on June 2 is open to EVERYONE! We’ll have an elevated menu, so be sure to RSVP to Liz Brock at [email protected] - all attendees, including members, must RSVP!!

We wrapped up with a fun relationship-building activity led by Luther, giving members a chance to connect, share stories, and get to know one another a little better. Community and fellowship at its best! 💙

05/10/2026

Love seeing our Rotarians out in the community!!

Business After Hours at the new AnMed Piedmont campus was very well attended yesterday evening. It was great catching up with Leadership Anderson Class 40 classmates and seeing firsthand the impressive new state-of-the-art facility right here in our community. Exciting to see continued investment and growth so close to home.

05/05/2026

We had another meaningful Rotary gathering this week, full of connection, purpose, and impact. 🤝

Quintin Moulterie opened our meeting with a thoughtful invocation and prayer.

Ning Yang shared a powerful membership moment about finding community in Anderson after moving from China. She spoke honestly about the challenges of feeling alone at first, and how Rotary became more than a meeting to attend, it became a place of belonging and connection. 💙

We also heard from our own Jane Cahaly, president of Salt and Light Foundation, Inc. Jane shared how the organization began on her back porch with a desire to leave a lasting legacy that was faith based. What started as a simple idea has grown into a mission-driven effort to develop leaders who can pass on faith, values, and purpose to the next generation.

Salt and Light partners with families, educators, and organizations to better understand the real challenges young people face today, and to equip those guiding them with meaningful resources and support. Jane reminded us that it’s not just about what we show, but what we tell, and how intentionally we invest in the next generation.

Rotary continues to be a place where stories are shared, relationships are built, and impact is made, both locally and beyond. 🌟

If you’ve ever been curious about Rotary, there’s a seat at the table for you. 💛

04/29/2026

We are incredibly proud of Emerson Fletcher for representing the TL Hanna Interact Club at the Rotary District 7750 Conference this past weekend! 🌟

Emerson did an outstanding job speaking and truly showcased the leadership, dedication, and excellence of our Interact students. She represented TL Hanna and our Rotary family so well, and we couldn’t be more proud. She’s an absolute standout leader, and her hard work continues to inspire us all!

Way to go, Emerson, you made our club proud! 💙💛

04/24/2026

Some of our Rotary members had the privilege of celebrating one last birthday party of the school year with the students at Homeland Park Primary School today! 🎉🧁

We love partnering with the school and creating meaningful experiences for these kids; today was full of cupcakes, dancing, and lots of smiles. It’s moments like these that remind us why we serve. 💙💛

Thank you to our members who continue to pour into these students and help make days like this so special!