Guests, visiting Rotarians, and members of the Rotary Club of Knoxville (RCK) were warmly welcomed by President Chris Lambert. Special recognition was given to those attending the Rotary International Convention in Calgary, Canada, who joined the meeting virtually. The RCK delegation to the Convention is led by President-Elect Shannon Holland.
President Chris was joined by RCK Director Annette Winston to present the Rotary Club of Knoxville’s Four-Way Test Rotarian of the Year Award to Susan Dakak. Susan, who joined RCK in 2022, has been an active and valued contributor, participating in numerous committees, service projects, and philanthropic initiatives. She currently serves on RCK’s board of directors and accepted the award virtually while attending the Convention in Calgary.
President Chris took time to reflect on the 2024–2025 Rotary year and his tenure as the 112th president of the Rotary Club of Knoxville. He highlighted several key accomplishments:
- Total Membership: 159 Rotarians
- 124 Active
- 27 R-85
- 8 Honorary
- Membership Demographics: 33% female, 67% male, with strong generational diversity
- 15 new members welcomed this year
- District goals for conference participation and training were successfully met
- 11 social activities and 14 service projects were completed
- RCK earned eight district-level awards in recognition of its service and achievements
President Chris shared that since joining RCK in 2016, his Rotary journey has been guided by his personal motto: “Get involved and stay connected.” He underscored the importance of accessibility in Rotary, noting that while not everyone may be able to contribute financially or attend every service project, everyone has something meaningful to offer—be it time, talent, or treasure.
“This is the spirit of Rotary,” he said.
He expressed deep gratitude to the mentors and leaders who have supported him, and to the entire club for their continued commitment to serving “each other, our city, and the people we haven’t even had the chance to help yet.”
President-Elect Shannon Holland, attending virtually alongside the RCK delegation in Calgary, was officially inducted as the 113th President of the Rotary Club of Knoxville by Past President Ed Anderson. President Shannon will deliver her inaugural address at the next club meeting on July 8, 2025.
Following this, Past President and Assistant District Governor Bill MacGrath inducted the 2025–2026 officers and board of directors. To conclude the meeting, Vice President Ken Knight thanked attendees and reminded everyone that there will be no meeting on July 1, 2025.
2024 – 2025 Rotary End of Year Presentation