The Rotary Club of Farragut emerged from its 2020-21 Covid-19 pandemic yesterday by inducting and welcoming three new members into its family and agreeing to partner with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of East Tennessee to help a little 11-year-old girl’s dream come true.

The club, resuming its weekly in-person meetings at Fox Den Country Club, last met in person in June 2020 when it swore in its new officers and directors for the 2020-21 Rotary year and Ed Jones assumed the presidency. The club has spent the last 10 months meeting virtually each week.

The three new members inducted are:

  • Kim Frazier is perhaps known best as the foremost advocate for “the Valley” and called by some the unofficial “Mayor of Hardin Valley.” She has lived here for 26 years, a native of Huntsville, Alabama, and founder of the Hardin Valley Planning Advocates.
  • Julie Greene is a freelance marketing and public relations professional and one of her clients is Knox County Rescue. Julie is the rescue squad’s community outreach coordinator, and when she was in the banking business a Rotarian in the Knoxville Breakfast Club. Julie is a native of Cleveland, Tennessee.
  • Constantine J. Pappas, CEO of Strategic Planning & Execution Operational Readiness Development, is a past president of the Lexington Park, Maryland, Rotary Club and was a Rotarian in clubs in Culpeper, Virginia, and Elkins, West Virginia. He is a private pilot and worked in the aerospace technology industry. Pappas is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy.

The club also voted and committed a minimum of $5,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation project to fund and build a “She Shed” for a little 11-year-old girl named Mandolyn. She has muscular dystrophy. Her little house will include a wheelchair ramp. This will be a project for this summer.

“We’re back,” said President Jones at meeting’s end. “It’s refreshing and fun to see everyone. It’s been a long haul.”

To explore membership in the Rotary Club of Farragut, email Tom King here or call 865-659-3562. Tom King has served at newspapers in Georgia, Tennessee, Texas and California and has been the editor of two newspapers.