2008 Rotary Scholarship Winners

Left to right:  Karen Jaramillo - NSHS, Summer Poplin - AHS, Whtiney Cope - WSHS,

Shawntel Baldwin - AHS, MacKenzie Almond - SSHS, Angela Mills - Scholarship Committee Chair,

not present for picture - Terri Oliver - SSHS

These 5 local high school students, posing with rotarian Dr. Angela Mills, won the 2008 Albemarle Rotary Club's Scholarship.  The scholarships are provided to local students each year by the Albemarle Rotary Club.  Funds are provided through the hard work of our club members raised from our annual BBQ dinner.

"Service Above Self" at it's finest!

Other Albemarle Rotary's "Service Above Self" Accomplishments:

• Sponsoring the Rotary Cardinals little league baseball team since circa 1961.
• Providing up to 6 college scholarships to local students every year.
• Created phase I of the All Children's Park at the YMCA playground in 2006.
• The club received "Top Honors" for raising the most money in 2007 for Alzheimer's research.
• Completed handicap bathrooms at the YMCA playground (Phase II) in 2008.
• Providing computers in middle schools for students throughout Stanly County.
• Permanent housing relief in places such as New Orleans and Mexico.
• Providing wells for clean water in Africa.
• Thousands of dollars donated to Umbono.
• Significant contrabutions to the Stop Hunger Now program.
• Providing ongoing financial support to Stanly County Ministries.
• Many other organizations to numerous to mention.

History of "Service Above Self"

Early in its history, the members of the first Rotary club realized that fellowship and mutual self-interest were not enough to keep a group of busy professionals meeting each week. Undertaking efforts to improve the lives of others proved an even more powerful motivation. In 1907 the club adopted a practical community service project -- the installation of a public comfort station near the city hall in downtown Chicago.

Three years after the organization of the Chicago club, a second club was formed in San Francisco, California, and three more clubs were founded the following year. By 1910, there were 16 clubs in the United States, and the first convention was held in Chicago where the clubs organized themselves to form the National Association of Rotary Clubs. At that convention, a member of the Chicago club proposed a motto for the new organization, recognizing its commitment to the idea of service: "He Profits Most Who Serves His Fellows Best."

The following year, another early leader spoke of the importance of serving others and promoted the idea that a club should be organized on the principle of "Service, Not Self." The two sayings, modified to "He Profits Most Who Serves Best" and "Service Above Self," were quickly embraced by all Rotarians and were officially designated as Rotary mottoes at the 1950 convention in Detroit, Michigan. In 1989, the Rotary International Council on Legislation established Service Above Self as the organization's principal motto.