Rotary Club of Breckenridge honors long-time members
By Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan
The Rotary Club of Breckenridge was joined at their regular Tuesday meeting by the organization’s District Governor for District 5790, Roger Paschal, and his wife, Linda Jean, as three long-time members of the local club were recognized.
Roger Paschal, 2020-2021 District Governor for the Rotary Club District 5790, attended the Breckenridge club’s meeting this week to present awards to three long-time members. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Kevin Simmons, Becky Downing and Sharon Brown were honored for their membership in the Breckenridge Rotary Club. Simmons is the longest standing member with 37 years. Downing has been a member for 33 years, and Brown, who was unable to attend Tuesday’s meeting, has been a member for 29 years.
Local Rotary Club President Yuri Huntington presented the honored members with commemorative clocks.
“Thank you so much for being pillars in this Rotary Club,” she said. “We appreciate you…We thank you very much for all the things that you have done — seen and unseen — in the community and for Breckinridge Rotary Club. Thank you all so very much.”
Downing was the first woman in the Breckenridge Rotary Club and went on to become president of the local club, as well as District Governor.
When Simmons was president of the organization, he was instrumental in starting the Breckenridge Rotary’s Holiday Flag Program, along with John Walker, who passed away in 2018. The program allows businesses and residents in town to sponsor a flag that Rotary Club members will post in front of their building or home on specific holidays. The club uses the funds raised through the program for scholarships and other projects.
Beginning Thursday, April 3, the Breckenridge Rotary Club will host a three-day blood drive, the Battle of the Badges, with Carter BloodCare. Those who donate blood during the drive can cast a vote for the Breckenridge Police Department, the Breckenridge Fire Department or the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office.
Carter BloodCare will be in Breckenridge for the blood drive on the following schedule:
- Thursday, June 3, noon to 5 p.m. at First National Bank’s Community Room, 101 E. Walker St.
- Friday, June 4, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Carter BloodCare Bus at Stephens Memorial Hospital/Breckenridge Medical Center, 101 S. Hartford St.
- Saturday, June 5, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at First National Bank’s Community Room, 101 E. Walker St.
To reserve a spot to donate blood during the Battle of the Badges, contact Rotary Blood Drive Volunteers Les or Sherry Strickland at 254-522-1959 or 254-522-2083 or visit the Carter BloodCare website at https://ww2.greatpartners.org/donor/schedules/zip and fill in the Zip Code box with 76424 to go to the sign-up page for the Breckenridge blood drive.
Roger Paschal, District Governor for the Rotary Club, Becky Downing and Kevin Simmons pose for a photo at Tuesday’s meeting of the organization’s Breckenridge chapter. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Cutline, top photo: Rotary Club District Governor Roger Paschal talks about the benefits of being in the Rotary Club at the meeting for the local organization on Tuesday. Paschal attended the meeting to honor Kevin Simmons and Becky Downing for having been members for 37 and 33 years, respectively. Sharon Brown was also honored for her 29 years of membership but was unable to attend the meeting. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
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