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Roditis is New Rotary President

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McKENZIE (June 29) — Sandi Roditis is the 2021-22 president of McKenzie Rotary Club following the installation banquet on June 29 at the First Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Matt Lane, president 2020-21 administered the oath of office to Roditis.

Completing the slate of officers are: Kathy Ham, vice president; Joe Neumair, treasurer; Mory Anderson, sergeant -at-arms, and Matt Lane as the immediate past president.

Lane said the 2020-21 Rotary year had its challenges with the COVID-19 pandemic causing disruptions to meeting in person and hosting events. The club offered an option for members to meet in-person or virtually, moved its meetings to Lane’s Block City Pizza so members could achieve social distancing. The club’s home venue is Lakeside Senior Living Center, which restricted walk-in traffic during the pandemic

Despite the challenges, the club held its annual live charity auction, contributed to the Demetra Perkins Polio-Plus campaign, purchased micro-engineered mulch for the city parks, held several meetings at different restaurants to support them, and purchased winter jackets for foster children.

He presented two awards. Mory Anderson received the Ed Perkins Humanitarian Award and Ed Dillon received the Oscar Owen Rotarian of the Year Award. Clark Brown was also awarded his seventh Paul Harris Award, which means a minimum of $1,000 for each was contributed to the Rotary Foundation in his honor either by himself or someone else.

Anderson is a retired minister, who moved to McKenzie from Michigan to be close to his daughter and son-in-law Melissa and Keith Herris, and their three children. Ed Dillon is a retired college administrator, who moved to McKenzie from Arizona. Hiss children followed him to McKenzie. Dillon is instrumental each year in raising funds for the club.

Roditis, the new president, is the owner-broker of Nicky Stafford Real Estate. She and husband, Spiros, have two children, Ellie and Stafford, and a bonus son, Marquis Taylor.

The new president commended Lane’s leadership during challenging times. She said he was willing to take a chance. He had meals catered in to meetings in an effort to support other restaurants, changed the auction to a Saturday evening event instead of a morning event, and emphasized the commitment to serve the community first. “It was exceptional leadership during COVID-19,” said Roditis.

At the conclusion of the banquet, Clark Brown and Jason Martin, members of the Rotary Foundation Committee, presented Lane with his second Paul Harris Award.