When Dr. Ted Thomas was installed as president for the Clinton-Sampson County Rotary Club meeting this past Monday, there was a sense of legacy in the room as Thomas was in the presence of multiple past presidents of the club.
In the spirit of legacy, the Clinton-Sampson club is also celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.
During the meeting, many presidents of Clinton-Sampson County’s Rotary Club, from both past and present, offered some of their time for interviews.
Billy Peterson was president of the noon-day club from 1999 to 2001, and has been a member of Rotary for over 30 years.
“It’s been a great experience,” the long-time member attested. “It’s an inspirational organization,” he said proudly.
Over the years, the Clinton-Sampson County Rotary Club has provided service both locally and across the globe, doing everything from sponsoring long-time non-profits like Fitness Renaissance to helping fund water wells in third world countries. They’ve participated in hands-on projects, like packing food for elementary, middle and high school students to planting flowers to improve the aesthetics of area schools and agencies. In between, they have used funds they’ve raised to provide scholarships, put books in schools and provide Christmas gifts for needy children and the elderly.
“In the past, we’ve collected bags for orphan care, and worked with gifts for grandparents that are taking care of their grandchildren, Christmas gifts for children…we’ve done lots of things over the years,” Peterson pointed out.
“Now, we’re doing wheelchair ramps,” Peterson added, proudly.
Thaddeus Godwin, the most recent former president, spoke on what the Rotary Club is about.
“One of the things that I love,” Godwin said, “is it’s about sharing, about serving, and about bringing new members in to be able to show them that this is all community.
The Clinton-Sampson County Rotary Club consists of “many different people in different fields…which is so important,” Godwin expressed.
“The collaboration of that is that we can touch each area in Sampson County.”
One of the main things the Rotary Club does is assist in efforts to eradicate polio across the globe.
“That’s the thing about Rotary, too,” Godwin mentioned. “No matter where you go, there’s a Rotary Club. That blows my mind, how many people are in Rotary, and all they talk about is how we serve…Rotary is a part that helps all in the community.”
Godwin said one of the biggest things the Clinton-Sampson County Rotary Club does to raise money is its annual Shrimp Fest, held the third Thursday of October.
“We bring the community together to be able to sit down, and for companies to come together to help support us.”
People come in and eat the shrimp, fellowship and enjoy themselves … “and it’s just wonderful,” Godwin expressed.
“The music…even the high school kids come in and help us…it’s a great day.”
Godwin, symbolically and literally, passed the gavel to Dr. Ted Thomas during the Rotary Club meeting. Godwin and Thomas actually switched terms with each other. Originally, Thomas would have been passing the gavel to Godwin.
Dr. Thomas was officially installed as president at the meeting by the new District Governor for 7730, Shawn Braswell.
Braswell’s job includes visiting every club in her district, which spans from South Carolina up to the Moorehead-Beaufort area, and then westward out to Fayetteville.
“This is a time when tradition is renewed,” Braswell stated as she installed Thomas.
Thomas has been in the Rotary Club for about four years, he said in an interview after officially becoming president.
“I enjoy it. Ever since I’ve been involved with it, I really have been accepted well, and I really enjoy being part of doing some good things in the community, as far as outreach.”
Thomas explained that one of the Rotary Club’s imperatives is to be hands-on, “not just give money and disappear at the end, and I like that part. I like that part.”
He mentioned how, in the past, when the Rotary did a Habitat house, he went and helped put some walls up.
This year, Thomas and the Rotary Club visited Janice Faye’s Ranch, a local nonprofit equine therapy ministry. There Rotarians helped build a fence and did some other work.
“These are just some projects we’ve participated in,” he said.
“If we didn’t do anything but just meet on Mondays, what’s the point?”newer member Joel Starling added.
“As we discover projects that need doing in the area, we’ll organize our membership for that service.”
Starling serves as the new service project chairman for the daytime Rotary Club.
He currently lives in Stedman, but said Sampson County is “sort of my home country. I’ve got relatives all in this area.”
Starling hopes to settle in Sampson County soon, he said.
“I know one of our big things this coming year that we plan on doing,” Dr. Thomas mentioned, “is helping with the second grade swim program at the YMCA.
“That’s one of our major emphases for this year, 2026-27.”
The Rotary Club will take in donations for the Y’s swim program, and will also go in and help with the kids, get the kids situated in the pool, and watch over them.
Thomas actually is a part of the YMCA board.
“The YMCA teaches every second grader in the county, not to swim, but how to survive…it’s a great program,” he explained.
Thomas said the YMCA just completed its second year doing this program.
“It’s wonderful,” he summarized.
Thomas said the Rotary club will continue looking for things where they see a need in the community, try to step in, and help with those needs in any way they can.