North Suffolk Rotary

On Friday we held our first meeting in several weeks and we came back strong!

We had the honor of hosting Colonel (Ret) Robert Harper as our guest speaker. COL Harper is recognized for his distinguished career as a US Army Airborne Soldier, US Army Ranger, and Vietnam War Veteran. His education includes the US Military Academy at West Point and the Army War College at Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

COL Harper served with 101st Airborne Division, 2nd Infantry Division, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, and finished his career as a Senior Executive, Northrop Grumman.

We’re grateful for COL Harper’s outstanding military service and for him taking time to share with us his experiences during his service in Viet Nam.

It feels like forever since we’ve had a meeting!

To close out May 2026, on Thursday the 28th, we held a Fifth Friday Filler social at New Realm Brewing in Suffolk. The weather was perfect! New Realm is a fantastic venue for sharing great food, cold beverages, and fantastic company.

Many thanks to all who attended, and special thanks to Rob and Ryan for setting up the space and food!

Our Fifth Friday events provide a wonderful opportunity for members, spouses, friends, and guests to socialize and get to know each other outside of our weekly meeting schedule. Watch for announcements with details of our next event ,and plan to attend—bring a friend!

Our next meeting is at Cedar Point Country Club this Friday, June 12th, at 7:30. See you there!

At last week’s meeting we had the honor of welcoming Ms Audra Bullock from Tidewater Friends of Foster Care. The Friends of Foster Care is a nonprofit dedicated to making life better for children in foster care. Founded in 2016 by foster parents Richard Litton and Audra Bullock, they serve over 2,500 foster and at-risk youth each year across Hampton Roads and Richmond, Virginia.

Funded entirely by private donations and grants, they work alongside local social services, businesses, and nonprofits to connect kids with the support they need to thrive.

Many thanks to Audra for a wonderful presentation on the great work of Tidewater Friends of Foster Care!
https://friendsoffostercare.org/our-mission/

That’s April done and dusted! We kicked off May with a great meeting on a beautiful morning!

Last week we had the honor of learning about Mercy Chefs. Mercy Chefs is a faith-based, non-profit disaster and humanitarian relief organization. They exist to provide professionally prepared, restaurant-quality meals to victims, volunteers, and first responders in natural disasters and emergencies. They partner with existing like-minded organizations to further their mission by providing food service in underserved communities across the country and around the globe.

Mercy Chefs is headquartered in Portsmouth, VA in the Hampton Roads area, and our club has previously donated time helping prepare meals.

Many thanks to Mercy Chefs for joining us and teaching us about your important mission! Learn more at the link: https://mercychefs.com

First citizen nomination for 2026 will be held soon. Is it the website to read about 2025 recipient Joyce Trump 

Nominations will be open soon!

The Suffolk First Citizen Award is the city’s most prestigious civic honor, presented annually to an individual whose leadership, service, and commitment to community have made a lasting impact on the lives of others. Since its founding in 1956, the award has recognized residents who exemplify the highest ideals of citizenship and who work to make Suffolk a stronger, more compassionate place to live.

The Suffolk First Citizen Award not only celebrates individual achievement but also serves as a reminder of the power of service, the importance of community leadership, and the enduring legacy of those who give generously of their time and talents. The annual Suffolk First Citizen ceremony brings together residents, leaders, and supporters to honor the recipient and to inspire others to lead with purpose and serve with heart.

Read more about the 2025 nominee here:
https://www.suffolkfirstcitizen.com/joyce-trump

What a great day for golf!

On Thursday the North Suffolk Rotary Club held our 19th Annual Golf Classic at Sleepy Hole Golf Course. There was no rain in sight, the greens were gorgeous, and all our participants enjoyed a beautiful spring day outdoors.

Many thanks to our hardworking volunteers who made the day possible, and a huge shoutout to our sponsors for making the day even better! Your support makes the difference!

Last Wednesday our club joined in at the annual Rotary District 7600 baseball outing at Harbor Park as we watched the Norfolk Tides take on the Memphis Redbirds.

Even though the Tides fell to the ‘Birds 7-9, we enjoyed a fantastic evening of baseball and fellowship.

The weather was perfect for baseball!

Rotary ClubMembers in Community Support!

Earlier this month club members Mike Wells and Jon Morris pitched in to support Smithfield VA Events Wine & Beer Festival. When we volunteer to work these type events all proceeds go directly toward our club's activities and supported organizations.

Mike is also our club's volunteer coordinator, so please consider helping out whenever you can, every bit helps!

Another beautiful April morning here in North Suffolk!
Last week we were privileged to host Clint Rudy from the Downtown Suffolk Library. Clint is also the new Downtown Suffolk Rotary Club President-Elect.

The new Downtown Suffolk Library is scheduled to open in June and will replace the old Morgan Memorial Library nearby, a former furniture store from the 1950s that was converted into a library about 40 years ago. The new building will be 22,000 square feet larger than Morgan, and will serve as the cornerstone of Suffolk’s master plan to spur private investment in the area, and to help make downtown more attractive to residents and visitors with new shops, restaurants, and amenities. Thank you, Clint, for joining us!

We also presented our four newest club members with their permanent Rotary badges, which is a major accomplishment! Congratulations, Gentlemen!

Downtown Suffolk Rotary Club
https://suffolkpubliclibrary.com

This past week the North Suffolk Rotary Club took the opportunity to recognize two of our Paul Harris Fellows.

Congratulations to Past Club President, Rob Estes, on receiving his Repeat Contributor Plus pin. Way to go, Rob, for setting a high bar for enduring support.

We also highlighted our current President, Cam Harper, on becoming a PH Fellow. He was joined by his wife Mary to highlight the occasion. Thanks, Cam, for your positive leadership!

You can read more about this important distinction here:
https://www.rotary.org/en/history-paul-harris-fellow-recognition