President Mark Killingsworth presided over today’s meeting. Jerome Brown provided the opening prayer. Joe Meador led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Mark led us in the Four-Way Test. The meeting was held at the Holiday Inn North and on Zoom.
Mark then began our annual award presentations with the Milam S. “Sonny 34” Cotton New Rotarian of the Year Award.
 
Ceremonial passing of the gavel pictured L-R: Mark Killingsworth, 2020-2021; Steven Utroska, 2019-2020; Paula Brahan, 2017-2018; Sean Priebe, 2015-2016; Wes Brooks, 2014-2015; Maura McLaughlin, 2012-2013; Bill McLeod, 2010-2011; Richard Topp, 2008-2009; Freddie Walter, 2007-2008; Jalil Y. Buti, 2002-2003, and Mike Ratliff, 1995-1996.
 
CONGRATULATIONS to our 2021 Rotary Club of Hattiesburg Awards winners! Pictured L-R: Lynn Walton, Club President; Mark Killingsworth, The T.C. Hannah Rotarian of the Year; Dr. Rambod A. Rouhbakhsh, The Bill Gwyn Non-Rotarian Service Award; Lucy Sanguinetti, The Milam S. “Sonny 34” Cotten New Rotarian of the Year, and Bill MacLauchlan, The Joe Spell Spirit of Rotary Award.
 
Lucy Sanguinetti was the recipient for her outstanding support of our Club.
The Bill Gwyn Non-Rotarian of the Year Award was presented to Dr. Rambod Rouhbakhsh with Hattiesburg Clinic. Dr. Rouhbakhsh was instrumental in getting the Clinic involved in COVID-19 vaccinations. He presented during the early stages of the pandemic to our Club. He noted that he was impressed with our Club which was one of only four entities in the area that reached out to him for information about the pandemic. He updated us on the new Delta Variant and noted that it is 50% more infectious than the original virus but that the three major vaccinations offer protection from the variant.
The Joe Spell Service Award was presented to Bill MacLauchlan.
Lynn Watson then presented the T.C. Hannah Rotarian of the Year Award to Mark Killingsworth. She noted that Mark’s leadership took our Club successfully through the year of COVID.
Mark then introduced and installed the incoming board members. They include President-Elect Mallory Hill, Sergeant of Arms, Bill MacLauchlan, and board members Ryan Kelly, Stew Deen, and Mallory Hill. He then installed Lynn Walton as the new Club President.
Lynn thanked the members for having confidence in her. She says she plans to focus the Club’s energy on membership recruitment. She also plans to increase the number of hands-on projects that our club will be involved in throughout the coming year. She noted that we are Rotary, and we should focus on ways to serve that will change lives.
There being no further business to come before the club, Lynn adjourned the meeting with our motto: “Service Above Self.”