Born January 2, 1924, Bryan Whitfield “B.B.” Blount, III made an indelible mark on our world during his 99 years of life.
Those who know more about Mr. Blount will also share that his name is now bestowed upon the Bryan W. Blount Citizen of the Year Award provided by the Todd County Chamber of Commerce, an award recognizing excellence in leadership and service, an award first bestowed upon Mr. Blount in 2019 and renamed in his honor in 2020. Others will remark his name stands proudly on the façade of Blount Rural Health Center, another testament to the love Mr. Blount had for others. Most recently, Mr. Blount’s name has also been bestowed upon a scholarship effort honoring the 100th year of the Rotary Club of Elkton’s existence. Although the Rotary’s scholarship effort started in full force last year, this year’s effort has been dubbed the Bryan W. Blount, III Memorial Century Club to honor both Mr. Blount’s legacy and the continued legacy of the Rotary Club of Elkton. Currently, this effort has garnered over $13,000 in scholarship monies that will be provided to TCCHS graduates.
Slide the calendar back to February 14, 1924, and an organization Mr. Blount was embedded in for many years also made its debut. That organization, the Rotary Club of Elkton, gained its charter through Rotary Club International on that Valentine’s Day a century ago. At the time of its formation as a pilot project sponsored by the Rotary Club of Franklin, Kentucky, Elkton was the smallest town in the world where a Rotary Club first existed. Today the Rotary Club remains the longest serving civic organization not only in Elkton but in Todd County as well. To honor the first century of its existence, the Rotarians and other guests held a “100th Anniversary Celebration” on Saturday, February 24, 2024, at the Milliken Memorial Community House, a beloved location that has served as the “home” of the Rotary Club for many years since the MMCH first opened in 1928.
The City of Elkton also designated February 14th as Rotary Club of Elkton Day with a Proclamation Honoring the 100th Anniversary of the Rotary Club of Elkton. Likewise, both chambers of the General Assembly of Kentucky also recently honored the Rotary Club with proclamations stating the Rotary Club of Elkton promotes the Rotary Club International’s 2024 theme of “Create Hope in the World,” a theme that resounds perfectly with the service projects of the local Rotary Club. In its proclamation, the House of Representatives’ citation noted the club “has made substantial donations to the community, including park equipment throughout Todd County, bicycles for local youth at Christmas, and the Happy Feet program, which provides free shoes to area children in need.” Also in attendance at the event on Saturday evening were members of the Blount family, Mrs. Alisa Gault Walsh and her husband Terry, and Ms. Anita Gault Moriarty, both residents of Elkton. Both ladies are the daughters of the late Marilyn Haley Gault Blount. Mrs. Anita Jo Powell, a long-time close friend of Mr. Blount’s and the director of Blount Rural Health Center, and a Rotarian as well, was also recognized during the program.
In his comments Saturday evening, Glenn Slack, current president of the organization, shared the earlier intention of the Rotarians was to have Mr. Blount serve as the president of the organization during its 100th year of existence. Thus, the club would have had a 100-year-old Rotarian lead the organization during its 100th year. In commenting about the event which had about 85 in attendance, Glenn messaged, “It was a tremendous honor for me to be chosen by my fellow members as the 2023-24 club president and preside over our 100th anniversary year.” He also added, “I wanted to make sure the event was one to remember for our current members, our past members, and an event hopefully inspiring others in attendance to want to become a Rotarian and accept the pledge of ‘Service Before Self.’”
Matt Bailey, a member of the Kentucky Heritage Council, president of Historic Todd County, Inc. and the Green River Academy Preservation Society, and author of Home Elsewhere, a book about the MMCH, shared in his remarks, “We thank you, Elkton Rotary, for a century of seeing through the unique dream of this building by carrying on your mission of service above self.” He also added the Rotary Club reflects so well the vision of the donors of the MMCH, exemplifying the “soul” the Milliken family envisioned almost 100 years ago. Describing the Rotary as a “beacon of hope and service,” Arthur Green, Mayor of Elkton, stated, “Your efforts have made families better; school children have been assisted, and those who have received scholarships have been positively impacted and will impact the world for years to come.”
Also in attendance at the Celebration were several past presidents and members of the organization as well as several area representatives of the Rotary Club International including Tommy D. Reed, II, Governor of the Rotary International District 6710; Dale Leatherman, Governor-elect of District 6710; Ms. Brenda McGinnis, an Assistant Governor from Franklin, Kentucky; Rotary International Zone Leader John Hutchings; and Ms. Leigh Perry, the local district’s administrative assistant. The local club, which is Club No. 1631 in District No. 6710, is one of over 50 clubs in the district, an area encompassing western Kentucky and much of central Kentucky.
Gary Violette, Todd County’s official historian, shared with those in attendance “tidbits” of history connected to the Rotary Club. One noted tidbit Gary detailed were projects the Rotarians of 1943 suggested for the City of Elkton including their requests to have the road to Guthrie blacktopped, the library to be expanded, some type of supervised recreation for the young people to occur, some small industry in the city to be founded, increased church attendance to take place, and a new post office to be built. Glenn also recognized the efforts of Robert Martin, a former club president and a well-known CPA who has worked diligently in the past to maintain an accurate detailing of the club’s history.
Mayor Green summarized the impact of the Rotary Club when he stated, “If the world would adopt the Rotary’s motto of ‘service above self’ and if we all lived every day and recognized that one profits most who serves best, the world would be a better place.” Music for the evening was provided by Ms. Emilie Gill, local pianist. Emilie and her father, Tyler Gill, led the singing of the Rotary Club’s parting song, one penned by the late Nora Mae Fox, a well-known musician and educator who was a part of the Rotary Club for decades. The song, which was authored in 1934 and copyrighted in 1981, includes these lyrics – “Parting Time has come once again, and we must say Goodbye. Leave your pals with joy in their hearts; don’t leave them with a sigh. We’ll be back one week from today, prepared to work, to laugh, and to play. Til then we’ll all join hands and call it a day until we meet again.” Photos for the event were by Kaylee Alexis Photography; the meal was catered by Four Seasons Catering.
~ Article by Carolyn L. Wells
March 2, 2024
