RoTN Volunteers: Rotary Tennessee

Seaburn Rotary Club

It was snowing a lot today but we still had a great time in Seaburn.

Members eating Lunch

The President and I with the Club Banners

The Club Bell

Member Group Picture

Size of the States

We get a lot of questions about the size of the States as compared to England and thought we'd post a few pictures and statistics on the subject.

Here's a map I found online (it's small and hard to read)

England would rank between Louisana and Mississipi in square miles

Louisiana: (31) 51,843 square miles

England: Size: 50,085 square miles (129,719sq km)
Mississippi: (32) 48,434 square miles

United States total area: 9.166,600 sq km, (3,539,242 sq miles) (according to world atlas website). Approximately 75 Englands could fit in the U.S. Basically, one could get the UK, Ireland, Western, Central, and Eastern Europe, New Zealand, Scandinavia, and part of Western Russia into the States.

Washington Rotary Club

I had a wonderful visit tonight at the Washington Forge Rotary Club.

The President and I with the Banners

Lindsay couldn't make it because she was helping out with the Lipscomb University students (from Nashville, TN) that had arrived over the weekend for a Spring Break week of service.

The Club Banner

The Washington members asked many questions. The food was great and we stayed warm inside even though it was snowing outside.

Information Phil typed up on the town of Washington

Stanley and Day Trip Around Newcastle

We had a great visit today and Burland took us around the area before and after the Rotary meeting.

Scenery near Newcastle

Famous Beamish - look into the life of early 19th Century Britain

Visited No Place, really we did

Famous and Beautiful Beamish Hall

Stanley's Meeting Place

Members at Lunch

The Angel of the North

Lindsay and Burland

Host Club Visit

NEWCASTLE ROTARY CLUB
We had the privilege of going back to the Newcastle upon Tyne Club to give a report of our year’s adventure. Even though we do not leave until next month, the Newcastle club will be on a club trip to the Czech Republic and also have special Easter plans, so this last Friday was our only opportunity to see them before we left. Following the lunch, a Newcastle University medical student named Matthew told the club a little bit about his life and his scholarly activities including time last summer in the US at Columbia. About a month ago, the Newcastle club gave Matthew travel funds to attend a medical conference in Cairo, Egypt to present his research findings. While at the conference he was awarded an all expense trip to come back Egypt. After Matthew spoke, I gave a summary of the speeches we have given to 15 Rotary clubs, a school, and a church. I told them about our favorite memories with their club, in Newcastle, and on trips in Northeast England, and described my university studies. Lindsay and I shared a little bit about what we have learned through the people we have met while in Newcastle. We were sad that it was our last visit with our host club.

Cleveland Rotary

The club was very lively and good humored throughout their “business” part of the meeting. They enjoyed the powerpoint slides which I showed them during my speech and the Tennessee tourism brochures.

Following the lunch presentation, the members at Cleveland and I had a discussion about American foreign policy and domestic laws. Specifically, they asked multiple questions concerning the recent extradition agreement between the US-UK, capital punishment and the US Appellate process.

Darlington School

Our host Rotarian drove us to visit the school where one of his daughters teaches. Joann allowed us to talk to 20 of her 15 year old geography students during their last period of the day on Friday. She spilt the class into two groups and had the students ask us any questions they wanted.

Peter and Lindsay with a group

I sat with 10 of her students while Lindsay answered the questions of the other 10. After the Q&A session, we gave a short presentation including slides of southern geography and pictures from home.

Members of My group

The students were very involved and asked many insightful questions. It was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon.

Darlington Rotary

Flowers nearby

Small sampling of club collection

The Darlington club has been serving the community for over 80 years. Today, we were able to eat with them at the “Dolphin Centre” which gives a beautiful prospect into the town square.

Town square

They have an energetic membership. Several members relayed greetings from the presidents of other clubs they had visited throughout the week. We also heard a report by those who attended the District conference held in Leeds this past weekend.

With the President

Ponteland

Their meeting place

Ponteland is a unique club whose average age is 79 and who proudly showcase their 4 members over the age of 90. They were welcoming and hospitable from the moment we walked into the door.

It was one of the few clubs for whom we did our speech before the meal was served. After the presentation, they were an engaging crowd who asked many questions, and we had lively discussion for over half an hour.