News of Interest
Updated News 03/26/2025
We meet this week at Laurel Ridge County Club on March 28th at our regularly scheduled time. Prior to our regularly scheduled meeting will be a Discover Rotary session led by President Bronwen Talley-Coffey and Membership Chair Jack Ewing. The program will introduce aspects of Rotary to potential new members. The program starts at 12:00 noon at Laurel Ridge in the Cedar Room. Our speaker for the regularly scheduled program will be Dr. Tim Gillespie speaking on the "Jam Band Theory of Leadership."
A buffet lunch is served circa 12:30 p.m. at a cost of $25.00 per plate. The program starts circa 1:00 p.m.
Please note: Our inclement weather policy is now in effect through March 31st. If Haywood Community College is closed, our weekly meeting is automatically canceled.
We may be reached via USPS at PO Box 1590, Waynesville, NC 28786; by email at wayrotary.execsecretary@gmail.com; and by FAX at 828-348-5538. Voice mail may be left at 828-423-0245. This contact information is also relevant for the Waynesville Rotary Foundation.
Banner photo courtesy: Yount
Rotary Serving Veterans!
About Us
How We're Helping
Waynesville Rotary believes in "Service Above Self" and base our local and global services on that value. Locally, we provide scholarships for students at the community college and university levels, provide backpacks of food to children who otherwise wouldn't have something to eat on weekends, and provide construction and other projects through United Way Day of Caring and Habitat for Humanity. These are just a few of our community service initiatives.
Recent Community Services:
Proceeds from the Poor Man's Supper annual event serves multiple community service projects carried out by Waynesville Rotary Club. Shown in the image to the left are a few of the Waynesville Rotarians that made the 2025 edition of the Poor Man's Supper a success. They are: (front row l - r) Ed LaFountaine, Karen Denney, President Bronwen Talley-Coffey, President-elect Shelley White, Heath Talley; (back row l - r) Billy Case, Bill Owen, Larry Leatherwood, and Ron Leatherwood.
2024 United Way Day of Caring - constructed garbage containment structure for local group home.
February 2025 Manna Backpack Project
Food boxes/bags are delivered weekly, when school is “in-person"
4 Fridays;
7 Rotarian Drivers went to 7 schools.
Bags of food for 1820 students were delivered. The bags weighed in at approximately 5,5200 pounds of food were delivered.
Christmas Food baskets provided in conjunction with Haywood/Sunrise Rotaries (470 baskets delivered 2024 at cost of $37,500.00) The 28 year total now stands at 11,502 families served at a cost of $331,191.00
Blankets for Mtn. Projects "warmth" efforts (in excess of 1000 blankets donated/distributed 2024 by all service clubs including clubs around the country.)
Get Involved
Are you passionate about what we're doing? Let us know! We are always looking for new members to help us make our vision a reality. We'll help you find a way to volunteer that best suits you. We're excited to have you join the team! Just ask David Nedved or Chris Owen!
Thank You
Whether you help through monetary donations, volunteering your time such as cooking up some food as the Leatherwood brothers are doing in the image to the left, ringing the bell for the Salvation Army, or spreading our mission through word-of-mouth, thank you. We couldn't accomplish our goals without the help of supporters like you.