WORDS: Shannon Evans
PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst
Harrisonburg, Virginia, 1987. Tim Milligan attended his first Rotary meeting at another member’s invitation. At a time when clubs limited membership by profession, he didn’t take the invitation lightly.
Louisville, Kentucky, 1997. A man stopped by the Salvation Army office where Tom Richmond served as a lieutenant. “Have you ever been a member of Rotary?” he asked. Tom hadn’t, so the man described its work locally and around the world. His enthusiasm proved persuasive.
Anderson, South Carolina, 2006. As Cathy Golson built her insurance agency, her CPA asked, “What are you doing for your civic obligation?” He invited her to a Rotary meeting, where she found a community she loved and later served as president.
Three future Bradenton Rotarians, living in three different states, found their way to Rotary through a conversation and an invitation. Those exchanges began decades of service that would change their lives and the lives of others.
At the Rotary Club of Bradenton, change still often begins with a conversation.
Opening the Doors
Every Monday, Rotarians make their way past the boats at the downtown marina to gather for lunch at Pier 22. Guest speakers join the meeting to tell the club about their work and the different needs around Manatee County. Recent programs have featured Bradenton’s police chief, a colonial-costumed historian marking America’s 250th anniversary, and Manatee High School students who received Rotary scholarships.
At one meeting, Andrew Sandall, CEO of The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, discussed the families the museum hoped to reach. When Rotarians asked how they could help, he suggested opening the museum for free on select weekends. The club agreed to sponsor four.
“About 4,600 people came through that first weekend,” says Cathy, president of the Bradenton Rotary Foundation. “Many had never been there before. People stopped by our table and said, ‘Thank you, this is wonderful,’ or told us they hadn’t visited since childhood.”
Tom, the club’s president, points to the distance that one lunchtime conversation traveled. “Over 4,600 people had an opportunity they otherwise might not have had,” he says, “because 38 Rotarians and a CEO had a conversation about what they could do in the community. I want to connect more people to Bradenton Rotary so they can make a difference, too.”
Rotary’s work can reach thousands at once or change one life at a time. For Tim Milligan, secretary of both the club and its foundation board, the most vivid Rotary experience centers on one little girl and a dog.
Rotary Moments
Years ago, a little girl named Lixie came to the United States for heart surgery through Gift of Life, an international nonprofit supported by Rotary clubs. Tim and his wife opened their home to her. Before surgery, Lixie could play with the family dog for only five minutes before lying down. Afterward, she chased the pup around the house for hours.
“If you want to understand what makes someone glow when they talk about Rotary, it’s moments like that,” says Tim. He calls them “Rotary Moments.”
Cathy found one of her Rotary moments at Visible Men Academy, where the club began by celebrating student birthdays. Fresh Market donated 100 cupcakes each month for three years, earning the Rotarians the nickname The Cupcake People. With books from the Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County, the club also provided backpacks and water bottles
The school later asked members to mentor students. “It wasn’t that any of us were teachers, because we’re not,” Cathy says. “But we gave them attention and let them know we cared about them.” She spent two hours each week with five struggling boys who soon began earning A’s and B’s. “That was the most rewarding part for me, just seeing what it meant to show up for them.”
Tom’s Rotary moment actually began decades before he ever entered a meeting. Born with a cleft palate in a small West Virginia hospital, he underwent the first of nine operations at just four hours old, after a nurse learned that a visiting doctor from Atlanta was nearby.
“I had those operations because someone was paying attention to me,” he says. Bradenton Rotary now supports similar surgeries for children in South America. Members have traveled with the program, while Tom has shared his experience around Florida to build support. “Everyone who comes through Rotary will find their story.”
Preparing Young People to Lead
Bradenton Rotary gives young people room to express their ideas and develop as leaders. One of the club’s youth programs begins with a question: What does the Constitution mean to me? Manatee County students in grades 10 through 12 submit their top essays anonymously, and a Rotary committee selects three students to receive college scholarships. The club recognizes the winners alongside their families and educators at a luncheon near Constitution Day. The Sons of the American Revolution even matches Rotary’s awards and gives the students an opportunity to compete nationally.
“If someone says patriotism is dead in the United States, they need to come to Bradenton, Florida,” Tom says. “These kids are amazing.”
Rotary also sponsors several leadership experiences. High school students attend the weekend Rotary Youth Leadership Awards program, while rising seniors take part in the weeklong Seminar for Tomorrow’s Leaders. Through Rotary Youth Exchange, local students study abroad, and Bradenton families welcome international students. The club also partners with The Salvation Army to send children to summer camp.
Through these opportunities, Rotary hopes to prepare young people to serve their communities—and perhaps one day find their own place in a club.
A Place to Serve
On June 9, 2026, the Rotary Club of Bradenton celebrated its 100th anniversary. Mayor Gene Brown marked the anniversary by proclaiming it Rotary Club of Bradenton Day.
When you think about a century of service, you might consider the dollars given or the projects completed. But behind those figures are other things worth counting. The invitations to Rotary meetings. The conversations about pressing needs, which opened the door to change. The connections formed, the friendships made, and all those other Rotary Moments which, if written down, could fill the shelves of an entire library.
And then there are the generations of Rotarians themselves, many of whom found lasting friendships around those Monday lunch tables. The names around the tables have changed over the decades, yet the club still attracts people searching for a place to contribute.
Tom describes Rotary as a family with a shared purpose. “We see people who have the drive and the will,” he says, “and they’re looking for a place where they can put their talents and tools to use. We’re all about connection and fun, but most importantly, about giving back to the community.
“If you don’t walk away with tears in your eyes, a good feeling, or a story you can share,” he adds, “you were asleep during the meeting.”
The Rotary Club of Bradenton meets on Mondays at Pier 22. Lunch begins at 11:30 a.m., followed by the program from noon to 1 p.m. Guests are welcome. Learn more at www.bradentonrotary.org.
More Ways Rotary Serves
- Food assistance: Along with volunteers from other organizations, Rotarians pack approximately 50,000 meals each year, and Meals on Wheels Plus distributes them into the community. Members are also helping restock the pantry at Kim’s Crew.
- Local support: The Bradenton Rotary Foundation recently awarded $7,500 to the Early Learning Coalition’s Spot On program and provides funding to other nonprofits serving the community.
- Clean water: Bradenton Rotary joined other clubs in a St. Lucia project that grew from an anticipated $30,000 effort into a $375,000 Rotary partnership, bringing clean water to 2,000 people.
- Comedy Night: For 17 years, sponsorships and ticket sales from the club’s annual comedy fundraiser have helped support its projects throughout the year.
