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The gavel has been passed from 2020-21 President Kesha Billings to 2021-22 President Jeff Selfridge at the Year End Celebration of the Marion-East Cedar Rapids Rotary Club. The meeting held on June 30th at the Lowe Park Arts and Environmental Center had great food, refreshment and fellowship highlighted by the record number of kids in attendance which was a tremendous addition to the festivities. 2020-21 was a difficult year with Covid however only a couple meetings were missed with alternatives of Zoom, hybrid and in-person meetings all making the Club available. We learned that our Club can be productive and of service even when presented with unprecedented obstacles. While the world shut down and a derecho hitting the Cedar Rapids-Marion area the Club continued to meet, provided breakfast and refrigeration to derecho victims and responders, provided shoes to children with shoe challenges, provided Christmas gifts to families in need, provided pancakes as a fundraiser at the Marion Airport Fly-in/Drive-in Breakfast and installed a major addition to the Lowe Park Art Trail commemorating the science that has been accomplished in our area.
Jeff Selfridge who served as Secretary awarded perfect attendance awards to several Club members. Jeff also was awarded the "Rotarian of the Year" Award by President Kesha. Erik Miles was awarded the "Jack Hotchkiss Service Above Self Award." All this was accomplished because of the steady leadership Kesha provided as well as the Board and those members who maintained their commitment to the Club and its value to the community.
