Larry Penkava
Staff Writer
ASHEBORO —
A fourth-generation Rotarian will preside over the Asheboro Rotary Club during the 2010-2011 year.
Rebecca Redding Briles took the gavel last Friday from Neal Griffin, retiring president, during installation ceremonies at the club’s weekly meeting at AVS Banquet Centre.
Briles is also the third member of her family to serve as president.
Others installed included Griffin as vice president, Mini Singh as president-elect/secretary, Duffy Johnson as sergeant-at-arms, Rodney Mason as treasurer, Talmadge Baker as assistant treasurer and Elizabeth Mitchell as executive secretary. Serving as directors will be Sam Cranford, Linda Cranford, George Bain, Patrick O’Hara and John Revell.
“We’ve had a wonderful year,” said Briles. “Neal has done a lot to make things better.”
She presented a new banner for 2010-2011 with the slogan, “Building Communities – Bridging Continents.”
Noting that this is Rotary International’s 100th year, Briles quoted the worldwide organization’s president, Ray Klinginsmith, as looking to make “clubs that are bigger, better and bolder.”
Locally, Briles said, Asheboro Rotary hopes to work with Rotary International to eliminate polio, continue funding for scholarships and the Randolph Cancer Center, support Flights of Honor for World War II veterans, provide dictionaries for third graders and partner in a water project for Mexico.
“I’m looking forward to it and hope to do a lot of interesting things,” said Briles.
Griffin, looking back on his year as president, said he “had a great time. I’m very glad to have had the opportunity. I have a lot of respect for the people in this room.”
In other business, the club presented Christie Smith with the inaugural Rotarian of the Year Award.
