Another year has ended for the Mesquite Rotary as they celebrated at their annual dinner on June 30 at the Oasis Grill Room, 100 Palmer Lane. The theme for the year was to “Be a Gift to the World.”

President Keith Buchhalter noted that one thing was epically clear with this year’s service by Rotarians, stating that “You can’t put a price on what we get back for what we do.” Buchhalter was referring to the 23 events and activities that the Rotary participated in throughout the year, including local backpack programs, Mesquite Night Out, Trunk or Treat, helping at the food banks, holiday festivities and bell ringing, parades, fundraisers, sponsoring the SOAR awards for Mesquite, offering scholarships to graduating students, sending several member of the Beaver Dam High School (BDHS) Interact Club to Mexico for their annual Superbuild, and their recent completion of the Beautification Project at BDHS. “If we don’t invest in the youth, we aren’t doing our job,” he continued. “They are our future and it is our job to help give more to them.”

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For Rotary Year 2016-2017, Amy Tobler will serve as secretary, Keith Buchhalter as President and Joe Woodward as Treasurer. Photo by Stephanie Frehner.

All 14 members of the club members were recognized for their participation of the year’s events. Seven of those members also received recognition for perfect attendance at each meeting held every Tuesday. With each member committing to as few as five and as many as 17 events, the impact that the Rotary has made in the community has increased over previous years.

Rotarian of the Year went to Linda Gault, who has been a strong advocate for both the youth of BDHS as well as the community of Mesquite. This year, as club Secretary, she was responsible for being a crucial part of 17 events, a number that was matched by only two others, President Buchhalter and Jake Noll. “It’s a wonderful honor to be recognized as Rotarian of the Year for the efforts I’ve put forth on behalf of the club,” said Gault. “I am forever grateful to my fellow Rotarians for this award.  But the most special part was hearing how much the BDHS Interact students appreciate the time and energy I’ve expended working for and with them to provide opportunities and a sense of self, and to support them as young individuals.”

Gault told the MLN that she will be taking a three-month hiatus from the Rotary but will return in the fall as events begin to kick in again. She was officially replaced as Secretary by fellow member Amy Tobler.

Noll was also given a special Presidential Citation by Buchhalter for his activism this year.

Buchhalter will stay on as President for one more year and member Joe Woodward will step in as Treasurer.

For more information on the Mesquite Rotary, which meets at noon every Tuesday at the Holiday Inn Express, 1030 Pioneer Blvd, contact Buchhalter at 702-427-6278.