McMinnville Breakfast Rotary recently held its annual banquet at First Methodist Church installing officers for the 2014-15 year.
Ryan J. Moore was installed as president of the organization with Pieter van Vuuren serving as past president. Other officers installed include: David Britton, president elect; David Lescarini, vice president and sergeant at arms; Tammy Womack, secretary; and Debbie Sain, treasurer.
Officers were inducted by keynote speaker for the evening, District Governor nominee Beth Stubbs of Maryville. Stubbs, a CPA, has been chief financial officer at Trinity Benefit Advisors, Inc., in Knoxville since its inception in 2006. She also has a private practice with specialized consulting services to small business owners for managing accounting and financing matters, as well as developing exit strategies.
Rotarian Judith Roney presented Todd Herzog with the Let Service Light the Way Award, which is presented annually to a person in the community who exhibits Rotary’s ideal of “Service Above Self.”  The recipient is selected by the club’s past presidents who donate a Paul Harris Fellowship to the Rotary Foundation in the recipient’s honor. Additionally, the recipient is named an honorary member of McMinnville Breakfast Rotary.
Moore presented outgoing president Pieter van Vuuren with a Paul Harris Fellow award for his outstanding leadership and commitment to the club. Charles Marsh, who won the club’s foundation football contest earlier in the year, donated his Paul Harris to David Lescarini.  
The banquet was well attended by 60 Rotarians and their spouses, and special guests from Kids of the Community.
   The banquet’s theme of Gearing Up For Service was enhanced by custom table decorations made with Lego structures complete with functioning gears designed by high school student Ethan Barrett. Rotary member Pat Bigbee assisted Barrett in decorating the tables. A photo of the Kids of the Community van dedication was also placed on each table.
Bigbee wrote a poem to highlight the evening. The poem stated, “Most of us who are gathered here have pled to be a Rotary Gear. To engage together throughout the year and work for others far and near.  We choose our projects and onward steer and from those goals we never veer.  Check out our programs and it’s quite clear.  As a service club, there is no peer.  We all mesh together with good cheer. To make our world a happier sphere."
Past president van Vuuren welcomed guests to the meeting which was followed by an invocation by Britton who also led members in the Pledge of Allegiance. Dr. Wally Bigbee led the song “Count Your Blessings.” All members recited the 4-Way Test.
A delicious dinner was catered by Bad Boys BBQ.  The menu included brisket, pulled chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, chocolate pie and banana pudding.
Moore applauded the club for its willingness to support Kids of the Community through its donation of a 15-passenger 2013 van along with the 100 community service hours the club is actively giving to Kids of the Community. The Friends of the River Clean Up project which is set for Saturday, July 19, was also discussed.
Moore said, “We are a dynamic club that is actively engaged in our community through a variety of service projects. Our members are diverse and have a heart for service above self. We are more than halfway of reaching our goal of volunteering more than 100 community service hours at Kids of the Community. We want to be the club that unites all other service organizations in Warren County to work together for the common good of our community. That’s evident with our strategic partnership with Kids of the Community. Our club’s flywheel is in motion and our members are making a positive impact in Warren County and beyond.”