Outgoing Clinton-Sampson Rotary President Eileen Coite expresses her appreciation for the teamwork that allowed the local Rotary Club to keep moving during ‘a very difficult year,’ with COVID restrictions forcing members online for much of the time. ‘But despite it all, we have grown and done some good things, all of which I’m thankful for,’ Coite said.
                                 Sherry Matthews|Sampson Independent

Outgoing Clinton-Sampson Rotary President Eileen Coite expresses her appreciation for the teamwork that allowed the local Rotary Club to keep moving during ‘a very difficult year,’ with COVID restrictions forcing members online for much of the time. ‘But despite it all, we have grown and done some good things, all of which I’m thankful for,’ Coite said.

Sherry Matthews|Sampson Independent

<p>Curt Smith, a Clinton-Sampson Rotarian, serves cupcakes to the assembled members and their guests celebrating the club’s 35th year.</p>
                                 <p>Sherry Matthews|Sampson Independent</p>

Curt Smith, a Clinton-Sampson Rotarian, serves cupcakes to the assembled members and their guests celebrating the club’s 35th year.

Sherry Matthews|Sampson Independent

<p>Dr. Thaddeus Godwin, pastor of Lisbon Street Missionary Baptist Church, his wife, Eloise, and Lillie Lamb, vice chairwoman of the church’s trustees, receive the Service Above Self award Monday for the church. The award is the Clinton-Sampson Rotary Club’s highest non-member honor. Rotarian Jeff Swartz, far right, and club president Eileen Coite are pictured with them as they receive the award.</p>
                                 <p>Sherry Matthews|Sampson Independent</p>

Dr. Thaddeus Godwin, pastor of Lisbon Street Missionary Baptist Church, his wife, Eloise, and Lillie Lamb, vice chairwoman of the church’s trustees, receive the Service Above Self award Monday for the church. The award is the Clinton-Sampson Rotary Club’s highest non-member honor. Rotarian Jeff Swartz, far right, and club president Eileen Coite are pictured with them as they receive the award.

Sherry Matthews|Sampson Independent

<p>Outgoing Rotary President Eileen Coite, right, presents member Georgina Zeng with the Rotarian of the Year award, the club’s highest honor.</p>
                                 <p>Sherry Matthews|Sampson Independent</p>

Outgoing Rotary President Eileen Coite, right, presents member Georgina Zeng with the Rotarian of the Year award, the club’s highest honor.

Sherry Matthews|Sampson Independent

<p>Clinton-Sampson Rotary member and Rotary District Governor nominee designate Nancy Carr, right, presents outgoing president Eileen Coite with a plaque thanking her for ‘doing an amazing job under immense pressure.’</p>
                                 <p>Sherry Matthews|Sampson Independent</p>

Clinton-Sampson Rotary member and Rotary District Governor nominee designate Nancy Carr, right, presents outgoing president Eileen Coite with a plaque thanking her for ‘doing an amazing job under immense pressure.’

Sherry Matthews|Sampson Independent

<p>The new slate of officers for the Clinton-Sampson Rotary Club are, from left: Chuck Yancey, secretary; Dr. Wesley Johnson, president-elect; Eileen Coite, past president; Nancy ‘Boomer’ Barefoot, treasurer; and Ron Carter, newly installed president.</p>
                                 <p>Sherry Matthews|Sampson Independent</p>

The new slate of officers for the Clinton-Sampson Rotary Club are, from left: Chuck Yancey, secretary; Dr. Wesley Johnson, president-elect; Eileen Coite, past president; Nancy ‘Boomer’ Barefoot, treasurer; and Ron Carter, newly installed president.

Sherry Matthews|Sampson Independent

<p>New officers are sworn in by soon-to-be Rotary District Governor Ellen Deaton, on Zoom, during Monday’s meeting at Ribeyes.</p>
                                 <p>Sherry Matthews|Sampson Independent</p>

New officers are sworn in by soon-to-be Rotary District Governor Ellen Deaton, on Zoom, during Monday’s meeting at Ribeyes.

Sherry Matthews|Sampson Independent

<p>Before giving up her duties to incoming Rotary President Ron Carter, Eileen Coite, along with member Lethia Lee, installed one of the club’s newest members, Dr. Thaddeus Godwin.</p>
                                 <p>Sherry Matthews|Sampson Independent</p>

Before giving up her duties to incoming Rotary President Ron Carter, Eileen Coite, along with member Lethia Lee, installed one of the club’s newest members, Dr. Thaddeus Godwin.

Sherry Matthews|Sampson Independent

With perhaps its first packed house since the onslaught of COVID-19 a year ago, members of the Clinton-Sampson Rotary Club joined to celebrate the club’s 35th birthday, swear in new members and welcome a new slate of officers, all the while cheering outgoing President Eileen Coite for “a job well done under the immense pressure of a pandemic.”

“You have done an outstanding job,” said fellow Rotarian Nancy Carr as she presented Coite with a plaque of appreciation during Monday’s meeting. Carr, who is District Governor nominee designaate for NC Rotary District 7730, praised Coite’s efforts, saying under her leadership the club grew in both membership and reputation. “When other clubs were faltering during the pandemic, we continued on and even thrived, and that’s because of your leadership and commitment to this club.”

For her part, Coite shied away from accepting all the credit, instead thanking her team of leaders for all they had done to help her navigate choppy waters. “It has been a most unusual year. On June 22, when I took over, I had no idea what I was getting into. I could not have done it without the support of so many of you as we moved into the year. It wasn’t always easy, but we made it through and I think we are stronger, as a club, because of it.”

Coite said the year had left a lot of words cemented in her mind: Flexibility, compassion, safety, teamwork, perseverance and patience. “Each of you would fit any of these words as we went through the year. And, I can honestly say that this next team should, I think, find things much better as we open up more and members begin to join us in person.”

When Coite took over last July, members were meeting outdoors and socially distanced. Immense heat coupled with the pandemic soon sent club members to their computers for weekly Zoom meetings followed by hybrid meetings with half online and the other half in person. Through it all, most members stayed committed, she said.

“We lost a few for various reasons, but we also gained some new members which is exciting. And we have hit a milestone as we celebrate our 35th birthday.”

Members celebrated a lot Monday, as they welcomed a new slate of officers, bid a fond farewell to Coite, installed new members and honored both one of their own and a church and its members who “have done amazing things for their community.”

The Service Above Self Award, the club’s prestigious honor given to a person or organization outside of the Rotary family each year, was presented to Dr. Thaddeus Godwin and Lisbon Street Missionary Baptist Church for its work providing food boxes for community members during the pandemic.

Jeff Swartz, who nominated the group, said Lisbon Street had been very involved in helping feed Sampson residents since last October, distributing over 500 food boxes each Thursday. The group also volunteers with Butler Avenue School, reading and mentoring students.

“This is hard work, yet their members have been out there every Thursday helping with this project,” Swartz said of the group’s efforts to assist with the food boxes.

The club also honored member Georgina Zeng as Rotarian of the Year, the club’s highest honor.

Zeng, Coite said, had worked tirelessly as fundraising chair and cooking shrimp for countless ShrimpFest events over the last 10 or more years. “She has been selfless in her actions and we appreciate all that she has done so much.”

Humbly accepting the award, Zeng credited her club sponsors, Sherry Matthews and Frank Bradshaw, for getting her involved in the club some 10 years ago.

“I didn’t know what I was getting into when they first ask me to join,” she said laughing. But turning serious she added, “I have so enjoyed being a part of this club. We do so much for the community and I love giving back. I love helping others and my community, and the club allows me to do this.”

Following the awards, Coite swore in new member Thaddeus Godwin and then turned the program over to incoming District Governor Ellen Deaton who, via Zoom swore in new president Ron Carter and his leadership team – Dr. Wesley Johnson, president-elect; Nancy “Boomer” Barefoot, secretary; Chuck Yancey, secretary; and Coite as past president.

Taking the gavel, Carter thanked everyone for their support and said “together we are going to make this new year a great one.”

With that, he tapped the gavel and led members in reciting the group’s theme: Service above self, one profits most who serves best.”