Rotary group gathers in a Front Royal ‘spring clean up’ mission

You may think the Greenway cleanup along Happy Creek is a big job for Skyline High Interact members Brooke Swearingen and MattaLynn Pastore…

Heeding their international president to take on community improvement jobs “collaboratively” new Rotarians from a recently established Valley club, youthful future Rotarians from local high and middle schools, and seasoned veteran Rotarians from established county and town clubs met to clean up the Front Royal Greenway on Saturday (April 6).

It was the recently elected Rotary International President Barry Rasin from his Chicago headquarters who requested the likes of regional Rotary executive George Karnes of Warren County’s Rockland area to “work together collaboratively as Rotarians and make a difference in their communities.”

Encouraged by Karnes, Warren County Rotarian Michael Williams stepped up to the plate over the weekend and led a team of 20 “to clean up the Front Royal Greenway, the town’s main entryway, so that visitors can enjoy the beauty which our town has to offer.”

Ten Rotarians from the Warren club arose earlier than usual on this chilly spring Saturday to meet the challenge; four more came from two other area clubs, Front Royal, the oldest, and Northern Shenandoah, the youngest, leading kids from Warren County high and middle schools, and a Rotaract (college age young woman) member.

…but they had help, as you can see in this Michael Williams group selfie, as the clean-up crew passed PaveMint Restaurant adjacent to the Greenway. Courtesy Photos/Michael Williams

Here are those identified as using the first day of the weekend to perform a community service in the name of Rotary:

• Warren County Rotary: Carol and Dave Hardy; Chet Hrbek; Nancie Williams; Barbara and Hank Ecton; Kayle and Brooke Magalis; Kristin Pence; and Williams.
• Front Royal Rotary Club: Janine Jones and Lori Glascock.
• Northern Shenandoah Rotary: Brent Jackson and Monica Melville.
• Warren County & Skyline High School and Middle School Rotary Interact Clubs: Mike Silek, Katie Glascock, Brooke Swearingen, MattaLynn Pastore and Chloe Bain.
• Rotaract Club: Samantha Meadows.