President Steven Utroska presided over today’s meeting. Steven provided the invocation and Allen Anderson led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance. Steven was our greeter today.
Michael McPhail thanked those who helped with today’s meeting. He also introduced our visitors. Lucy Sanguinetti is a guest of Erin Granberry. Mickey Allen had Clint Walker as his guest. He is a former Rotarian. Cole Gressett also had a guest.
Steven reminded members that Coke has agreed to let the Rotary Club sell water out of its trailer during Hub Fest on March 28. Volunteers are needed to cover two-hour shifts. A sign-up sheet will be available next week. Members were also reminded to sign up to deliver Meals on Wheels. He also reminded members that the Bingo event has been cancelled. Members are being asked to make a one-time $100 donation to the club to provide funds for new service projects.
Steven distributed board of director ballots and asked members to please vote and leave the ballots on their table at the end of today’s meeting.
Shane Germany asked members to sign up to coordinate speakers after April. He also reminded members that the annual raffle of the United Way of Southeast Mississippi is now underway. If you are interested in purchasing one or more tickets, see Shane or Allen Anderson. You can also buy tickets on-line at the United Way web site.
Shane then introduced today’s guest speaker, Lolly Rash. She took over as Executive Director of the Mississippi Heritage Trust in 2013.
Lolly noted that the mission of the Trust is to work to save and renew places that are meaningful to Mississippians and their history and are endangered of being demolished.
She reviewed the Trust’s Ten Most Endangered Places added to the list this year.
Mississippi’s historic water towers statewide have been added to the list. The E.F. Young hotel in Meridian is also on the list. Although the structure has significant foundation issues, the Trust believes it can and should be saved. The Highland Park Carousel in Meridian was also added to the list. The neighborhood around the Carousel has declined in recent years and there is discussion about moving it to a new location. The Trust also added the childhood home of James Earl Jones in Arkabutla, and Mississippi’s Freedom Homes statewide. The Gillespi-Jackson House in Meridian, Po Monkey’s in Cleveland, the Lundy House in Lexington, the Stutzman House and Blacksmith Shop in Woodville, and the Salem School in Macon are also included on the list.
Lolly then talked about the eleventh addition which received a dishonorable mention. It was the Pat Harrison Waterway office on Highway 40. It made the dishonorable mention list because it was demolished one weekend with no consideration of saving or possible restoring the building.
Although the Trust has no enforcement power, they do work closely with Mississippi Archives. They can designate locations at Mississippi Landmarks which makes it more difficult to destroy them.
Legislatively, the Trust will seek to keep the State Historic Tax Credit in place. They will also try to open the Tax Credit up to residential applications.
To learn more about the Mississippi Heritage Trust, visit their website at https://www.mississippiheritage.com/.
There being no further business to come before the club, Steven thanked today’s speaker and adjourned the meeting with your motto: “Service Above Self.”