Rotary Club

Just two weeks before the 30th annual Fourth of July celebration at the Carroll County Farm Museum, a local service organization remains optimistic that it will raise enough money to keep fireworks in the event. The Old-Fashioned July 4th Celebration and Fireworks Display, which draws as many as 20,000 visitors to the museum in Westminster, is getting help this year from the Bonds Meadow Rotary Club. The group is organizing the event, scheduling volunteers and trying to raise about $20,000.

Council member C. Vernon Gray told the Sunrise Rotary Club in Ellicott City last week that state and county governments must raise a variety of new taxes despite strong public opposition."

The drive to raise money for a new amphitheater at Carroll Community College went from the one-quarter mark to the halfway point in one fell swoop, when the Westminster Rotary Club pledged to raise $75,000 over the next three years."

Westminster attorney Geoffrey S. Black is the kind of person Rotary clubs would love to have as a member.Heavily involved in the community, he is a former town council member in Manchester and past president of the local Lions Club. The reason he hasn't joined helps explain why many Maryland Rotary clubs are struggling to keep going."The number of evenings that you have available is a finite number," said Mr. Black, who juggles his law practice with helping ferry his three children to ballet, gymnastics and Girl Scouts.

THE COW PALACE AT Timonium State Fair Grounds was filled with oyster lovers from all over Maryland for the 78th annual Oyster Roast, sponsored by the Baltimore Rotary Club. According to my Rotarian contact, Terri Smith at FoodStaff, the event drew a record-breaking crowd of 3,173 people.While bivalves were the star attraction, Truffles Caterers also served pit beef, chicken and an assortment of side dishes.Among the folks at the roast were the three winners of an oyster-shucking contest the club held in November.

A small service club in Westminster is helping to eradicate an illness that is devastating remote villages in the United Republic of Tanzania. Bonds Meadow Rotary Club, which has 70 members, has dedicated its resources to fighting river blindness in the East African country of 50 million for nearly three years, making the battle against what many call a debilitating scourge its signature project. In a meeting yesterday in Westminster, the group celebrated with Tanzanian officials - who are in Washington this week for an international conference on river blindness - a $297,000 grant from Rotary International.

After 53 years, you'd think the Annapolis Rotary Club Crab Feast would be hard-pressed to improve on its formula of beer, steamed corn and all the spice-coated crabs you can dissect and devour.But this year, 2,500-plus people gathered at sunset in the shadows of the concrete bleachers at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium experienced a twist in crab feasting -- gut-bustingly fat crabs.In years past, organizers ordered bushels of the cheaper, medium-size crabs. There were no complaints.

She had been president of the Interact Club, sponsored by the Lake Shore Rotary, during her senior year at Chesapeake High School. His father was a Rotarian back home in Seattle, Wash.Together, Michelleand Stephen Cummins became the first husband-and-wife team to join Lake Shore Rotary. And she became the club's first female member.They hadn't really thought about breaking new ground, Michelle said in a telephone interview. They had started their own business -- P. Cummins Oyster Co. -- and were "trying to get involved in the community," she explained.

Rotary Club declares winners of 50/50 raffleThe Rotary Club of Hampstead has announced the winners of its Hampstead Day 50/50 raffle.First-place winner was Bill Finch of Westminster; second place, Dean Zumbrum of Westminster; and third place, Pat Bromwell of Westminster.Club officials said the 20th annual Hampstead Day was considered very successful. Proceeds from the event go to the Rotary Club's general fund for a variety of community service projects.Chairman David Wisniewski also announced that a child's purse was found on the grounds that day. The owner can call him at 239-8301.

Rotary Club to create new chapterBusiness leaders are being sought to join a new chapter of the Rotary Club coming to Linthicum and Brooklyn Park.The Rotary Club of Glen Burnie, with the help of Rotary International, hopes to start the chapter in about a month, said Ray Streib, a member of the Glen Burnie chapter.Members thought Linthicum could use the volunteer services of the Rotarians, who offer scholarships, help students develop job interests and skills, and work on environmental projects, he said.