Rockwall Rotary has ‘good things on the horizon’

ROCKWALL, TX (August 3, 2014) With the recent induction of Dr. Bart Miller as president, there are big things ahead for the Rockwall Rotary Club.

This includes the 29^th annual Hot Rocks Bike Race coming up Saturday, August 9 at Wilkerson-Sanders Stadium. Miller said the event features kid-friendly short routes and more challenging trails for cycling enthusiasts.

RidersClaspHands20110813044445 — Photo by Lorie Grinnan, Rockwall Rotary.

“We have everything from “kid-size” routes to 100k,” Miller said. “Following the race Applebee’s provides a lunch on-site and we will have all the Blue Bell treats you can eat. The proceeds fund Scholarships for Rockwall and Heath students.”

The Rotary also looks forward to its upcoming Bikes for Kids program, which provides underprivileged children with bikes at Christmas time. Last year the program donated 200 bikes and helmets to the Helping Hands toy drive. One of Miller’s goals as Rotary president is to help the program grow.

exterior — Rockwall Crossing Orthodontics, 711 S. Goliad St., a designated historical landmark.

“I would also like to add service projects working with Habitat for Humanity and one of the organizations that serve our returning veterans,” said Miller, who served in the Navy before starting dental school. His practice, Rockwall Crossing Orthodontics, is located inside Rockwall’s refurbished Missouri-Kansas-Texas train station, a designated historic landmark.

Former Rotary president Jon Bailey said that with Miller at the helm, Rotary is surely headed in a positive direction. “There are a lot of good things on the horizon,” he said. “Bart has been a longstanding member, and he understands what we do for the community and has a passion for it. I think we will see our community service projects continue to grow. Bart is a visionary, so it wouldn’t surprise me if he came up with a new project.”

Miller said he simply feels honored to have the opportunity to serve in his new position after so many others he admires. “Being selected as the next president is very special to me. Having grown up in Rockwall and known and respected so many of the people who have served in the Rotary Club, it is a privilege to follow in their footsteps,” he said.

In addition to community events and scholarships, Rotary provides assistance to organizations such as Boy Scouts, YMCA, and the Boys & Girls Club. “Also, it provides a place for people who care about and are involved in the community to come together, stay ‘tuned-in’ and get things done that have helped Rockwall keep its sense of community even as it continues to grow,” said Miller.

Bailey described the Rotary Club as “the best kept secret in town.”

“There are many other well-known service organizations,” Bailey said. “We just try to quietly go about our business and help kids in need.”

Ultimately, Bailey said, the purpose of Rotary is simply “to give back to the community.” The club always tries to exemplify their motto: Service Above Self. To learn more, visit rockwallrotary.org.

By Blue Ribbon News reporter Julie Anne White.