Rotary Club of Sparta

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Rotary Club of Sparta

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We have members of all ages who share the passion of serving their community.

Rotary is an organization of business and professional men and women united worldwide in local Rotary clubs, providing humanitarian service, encouraging high ethical standards in all vocations, and helping build goodwill and peace throughout the world. Our Club was founded by forward thinking community leaders because they wanted to develop and provide a means to bring business and civic leaders together to serve the community in which they live, and do business.

10/28/2026

Rotary Club of Sparta took a little field trip to appreciate our local museum. Big thanks to the museum for all that they do for our community and special thanks to Daniel Young for setting up our little adventure.

10/24/2026

Sparta Rotarians Rally for the Wall That Heals

Thousands of people from across Tennessee and other nearby states traveled to the new Putnam County Fairgrounds in Cookeville Oct. 22-25 to pay their respects to Vietnam veterans.

The Wall That Heals, a three-quarter-sized replica of Washington DC’s Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial, honors the U.S. service members who lost their lives during the Vietnam War. The 58,281 names inscribed on the wall include six servicemen whose military records reflect their homes of record as being White County: William C. Allen, John M. Casey, Sean P. Dodson, Alvin D. Hutchings, Thurman B. Shockley, Jr., and Jackie W. Troglen. Three others, (Freddie R. Gore, Kenneth Lee Johnson, and Herbert Roberts) grew up in White County, but actually enlisted elsewhere, such as Morgan County or in another state. .

Eight members from the Rotary Club of Sparta volunteered their help on Friday, offering emotional support and assistance with wall rubbings and helping visitors leave notes, flowers, and mementos. Sparta’s Rotarians were Mischelle and Bill Aycock, Larry Battle, Scott Elliott, Kathy Evans, Wade and Donna Fare, Crystal White, and Mike Yeager.

“All of the men and women whose names are on this wall died fighting for freedom, faith, and family and to sustain the freedom we’ve had for 250 years,” said Rotarian Mike Yeager.

The Wall That Heals last visited Cookeville in 2018 when more than 30,000 people came to view and pay their respects. That huge response – the most of any tour stop in Tennessee – is the reason Cookeville was selected for a return visit.

Rotarian Kathy Evans explained the personal nature of why she volunteered at the Wall That Heals. “My husband served in Vietnam twice and later died from complications of Agent Orange. Also, a lot of friends of high school and college went to Vietnam and some died; it was my generation’s war.”

Visit www.rotary-club-of-sparta-tennessee.org or www.facebook.com/RotaryClubSpartaTN for more information on Rotary Club of Sparta. Visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund at https://www.vvmf.org/ for information on the Wall That Heals.

Photos: (1) Many visitors left mementos of loved ones and friends. (2) Mischelle Aycock, president of the Rotary Club of Sparta, collects a name rubbing from the Wall That Heals. (3) Kathy Evans, Rotary Club of Sparta vice president, helps a visitor at the Wall That Heals find the location of a loved one or friend's name on the wall.

10/19/2026

Its that time of year again!

10/14/2026

Honor a Veteran on the Wall of Honor

Do you have a veteran in your family? This is the perfect time to recognize their service to the country by engraving their name on the Wall of Honor in Rotary Club of Sparta’s Veterans Park.

Any veteran who has resided in White County at some point in their life can have their name engraved on the wall. Veterans may be living or deceased.

Contact the Rotary Club of Sparta to have a name included on the Wall of Honor. Service verification (a copy of a formal discharge certificate or a copy of the DD-214 form) is required. Veterans of family members can seek assistance from the local Veterans’ Affairs Office to obtain service verification. A donation of $125 is requested per name to offset the cost of the engraving. Veterans who were killed in action, held as a prisoner of war, or is missing in action will be included on the wall at no charge.

Veterans Park opened on Nov. 8, 2014, and is located across the street from the White County Courthouse (on the corner of West Bockman Way and North Main Street). The names of veterans who served after 1900 are engraved with their branch of service in the period they served on large granite panels.

Please visit www.rotary-club-of-sparta-tennessee.org for more information and the form to add your veteran’s name to the Wall of Honor, send an email to [email protected], or write to:
Rotary Club of Sparta
PO Box 6292
Sparta, TN 38583

10/03/2026

Stepping up: Local students get free shoes

Nearly 500 students in White and Van Buren counties are able to begin this year’s classes sporting back-to-school basics – new shoes and socks.

The annual Shoe Program, a joint venture between Sparta First United Methodist Church and Rotary Club of Sparta, has helped students since its inception in 2020 as part of the church’s Tangent Christmas Party. That year, a group that had been providing shoes at the beginning of the school year was no longer able to do so, and the Shoe Program was born. The idea was to remove the shoes portion from the Tangent Christmas Party and move it up on the calendar to August instead of December. First Methodist reached out to the Rotary Club for help with the shoe fittings and a wonderful partnership was born. That first year, more than 200 students in White County received shoes. Since then, participation has increased nearly 150 percent.

This year’s fall campaign wrapped up Sept. 29, with 499 students from 11 area schools and head starts receiving new shoes. The program’s 34 volunteers contributed 145 volunteer hours to the effort.

Now in its sixth year, the Shoe Program is led by a partnership of local groups, including the First Methodist Church, Rotary Club, and Hickory Valley Baptist Church, with financial and physical support from many other individuals and organizations across the community.

“School personnel – teachers, aides, nurses, administrators, cafeteria workers, janitors, and more – gather sizes for students who needed new shoes,” said Sparta Rotarian Buddy Dicus. “The information is collected and volunteers are scheduled. Last year, more than 45 people volunteered time to the program, doing everything from donating and soliciting funds, shopping for shoes and socks, and distributing them to the students.”

“The Rotary Club of Sparta knows the importance of giving back to the community through partnerships, and part of how we can do that is by helping our students be ready for school,” Club President Mischelle Aycock said. “It may seem small, but providing students with new shoes can go a long way toward helping them be on equal footing, so to speak, with their peers.”

If you would like to help with the Shoe Project, please reach out to our volunteer coordinator Cathy Farley at the White County Public Library, 931-836-3613.

Visit www.rotary-club-of-sparta-tennessee.org or www.facebook.com/RotaryClubSpartaTN for more information on Rotary Club of Sparta.

Photos: Left, Mischelle Aycock, Rotary Club of Sparta president, checks on the fit of new shoes at Spencer Elementary School. Right, Rotarian Buddy Dicus fits shoes on a student at Spencer Elementary School.

10/03/2026

Giving used books a new chapter

Several members of the Rotary Club of Sparta, including Kathy Evans, club vice president; Donna Fare; Cathy Farley; and Michael Hale helped the Sparta Library raise funds at its book sale, Oct. 1-3.

09/29/2026

Rotary Club of Sparta hosts barbecue bash

Rotary Club of Sparta hosted local community leaders at its annual barbecue dinner Sept. 24.

Nearly 250 people attended the event, the 57th Annual BBQ honoring the late Dr. Charles Mitchell. The event is one of three fundraisers Rotary Club of Sparta hosts throughout the year. Funds raised at the barbecue, along with the club’s Valentine’s Gala and annual golf tournament, support community projects.

“Money goes directly back into this community for projects that Rotary and our partners support,” said Mischelle Aycock, Rotary Club of Sparta president. These projects include Shoes for Kids, Tangent Christmas, scholarships, White County School unfunded sports, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, the Sparta Christmas parade, Veteran’s Park in downtown Sparta, and the White County Interact Club.

Dozens of prize drawings were presented under the watchful eye of Rotarian Keith Mills, the event’s master of ceremonies. The two grand prizes were a kayak and propane griddle. Most of the door prizes were donated by corporate sponsors and Sparta businesses.

The barbecue’s namesake, Dr. Mitchell, was a World War II hero at the Battle of the Bulge where he was commander of the Army’s Company A of the 526th Armored Infantry Battalion. While there he earned the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Combat Infantryman's Badge to go along with his four battle stars. His list of accomplishments after returning home is lengthy, including three terms as president of the Sparta Rotary Club; member of the board of the United Methodist Church and Sunday school teacher for more than 50 years; the first chief of staff of White County Community Hospital; and certified master gardener and author of a monthly gardening column in the Sparta Expositor.

Special thanks to the Duck Pond Manor for the venue and menu of pulled pork, loaded mashed potatoes, baked beans, coleslaw, and desserts.

Corporate sponsors included:
Jackson Kayak
Dicus CPA
Hunter Funeral Home
Hale/Farley Friends and Family
KGI
BBR Advisory Services
First National Bank
Payless Family Pharmacy
Renewal Skin Solutions
Ben Lomand Communications
First Horizon Bank
Friends of Yeager
Citizens Bank
Johnson’s Development
Blush Salon
One Bank
Dr. Ty Webb

09/29/2026

Sparta Rotary supports local students

Rotary Club of Sparta presented $250 Margaret Pearson Scholarships to two students from Motlow State Community College. Clayton Hattaway, second from left, is a criminal justice major with a 3.6 GPA, and Freddie Roberts, center, is pursuing an RN certification. She also has a 3.6 GPA.

Mischelle Aycock, left, president of Rotary Club of Sparta; Kathy Evans, second from right, vice president of Rotary Club of Sparta; and Deb Birdsall, right, governor of Rotary District 6780, presented the scholarships.

Margaret Pearson Scholarships are awarded to nontraditional students, often returning to college after being in the workplace. The scholarships are named after Margaret Pearson, who served as a cryptoanalyst in the Army Signal Corps during World War II, was a major force in local community organizations, and was the first woman elected mayor of Sparta.

09/29/2026

Rotary Club of Sparta helps fight polio

The Rotary Club of Sparta presented a $150.00 check to Rotary District 6780 on Sept. 10 to help fight polio. From left, Mischelle Aycock, Rotary Club of Sparta president; Deb Birdsall, governor of Rotary District 6780; Kathy Evans, Rotary Club of Sparta vice president; and Michael Barnes, assistant governor of Rotary District 6780.

09/29/2026

Rotary District Governor visits Sparta

Deborah Birdsall, governor of Rotary District 6780, and Michael Barnes, assistant district governor, met with members of the Rotary Club of Sparta on Sept. 10 at the club’s weekly membership meeting.

Birdsall addressed the group, speaking about what makes Rotary more than a community service organization. She declared that four specific things make Rotary a family:
* Awareness,
* Presence,
* Assume positive intent, and
* Make space for seasons of life.

The governor also highlighted a key component of being a Rotarian – passion. “In Rotary, we don’t feel that we have to do anything,” she said. “It’s that we get to do things.”

Address

Sparta, TN

Opening Hours

12pm - 1pm

Website

http://www.rotary-club-of-sparta-tennessee.org/

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