Smyrna Rotary Helps South Carolina after 1,000 Year Floods

In early October 2015, a cold front combined with Hurricane Joaquin to batter the eastern seaboard. Worst hit was South Carolina. Charleston had 11.5 inches of rain on October 3. A few miles east, historic Boone Hall in Mt. Pleasant had over 24 inches of rain in several days. By October 4, the accumulated rainfall of several days exceeded 500 to 1,000 year levels in places. The inexorable result: rivers overflowed, dams collapsed, roads and vehicles washed away. Tens of thousands lost power. Flights cancelled. Schools shut down. Worst of all, 19 people died.

Past District Governor (and two-time Past President) Roy Strickland reached out to his club. “Our neighbors in South Carolina and along the East Coast have been hammered by a 1,000 year flood. Lives, homes, and businesses have been lost. Thousands are displaced. Roads are closed. Bridges are out. They need our help.”

Smyrna Rotarians responded, gifting nearly $6,200 to Harvest Hope Food Bank of Columbia. This was in honor of Past Rotary International Vice President Anne Matthews, of the Columbia East Rotary Club and a special friend of Smyrna Rotary. The amount was enough to provide almost 31,000 meals for those displaced or sheltered in their homes.

Smyrna Rotary is always looking for female and male community leaders. For more information about the club or membership, please email f12@nfiweb.com.

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