The Rotary Club of Sebring, FL

11/11/2026

11/05/2026

David Austin got buggy today. He spoke to us about insects and their roles in nature and the food web.

We have fossils of insects dating back 480 million years ago. There are over 1 million named insect species, but many, many more that haven't been named. Some of us view insects as pests. But David explained how very necessary insects are.

Many are scavengers and help with decomposition; others, like ants and worms, aerate the soil; and importantly, they are pollinators. 1 out of every 3 bites of food are brought to the table through insect pollination. Without insects, the food chain would collapse within months.

Many insects are an important source of protein in many countries. Grubs, beetles and ants are important parts of many diets.

Currently, David soberly told us that there is a 40% decline in insects, and many are approaching extinction. As part of the food chain, they are critical. Did you know birds feed mainly insects to baby birds? Even those whose primary source of diet are seeds rely on insects to feed their offspring.

One thing we can do is plant more flowers, and make sure there are varieties that bloom at different times of the year. Instead of killing weeds, considered allowing those that are more ground cover to grow in your yards, especially flowering ones. David suggested letting one flowerbed in your yard be for flowering weeds. They provide habitat and food for a plethora of insects.

You can follow David on Facebook. He has many wonderful posts for homeowners here in Highlands County.

David Austin is a UF/IFAS Extension, Residential Horticulture Agent and Master Gardener Coordinator in Highlands County, Florida. Follow him on Facebook on his Hometown Gardener Page.

10/31/2026

Thursday the club hosted our 11th annual First Responders Appreciation BBQ luncheon. We packaged 330 meals for the men and women sheriff deputies, police officers, EMTs and dispatchers who keep Highlands country safe. They get a pulled pork sandwich, potato salad, baked beans, and a homemade cookie or brownie.

We delivered to the outlying substations in Sebring, Avon Park, and Lake Placid.

A shout out to Justin and his crew at Sebring High School Food and Nutrition for making 14 dozen cookies. We had a small miscommunication, but they handled it like the pros they are. And Martha Taylor made almost 250 brownies.

We want to thank the SFSC culinary students who heated our baked beans and assisted us on the assembly line. Adventures Supply Company donated the to-go boxes and the cups and lids for our baked beans.

Our smokemasters were Greg Griffin and Ethan Yoder. Greg has been volunteering his services for the event, smoking the pork butts since 2015.

We appreciate Marc Valero from the Highlands News Sun who always stops by to cover the event.

Thank you to our First Responders.

10/24/2026

Because of a powerful vaccine introduced in 1955 by Jonas Saulk, we can eliminate polio in our lifetime through diligently vaccinating children where wild polio still exists. Rotary takes this goal seriously.

Give to the Rotary End Polio Now campaign. We're this close!

www.endpolio.org

10/23/2026

The Robert C. Saffold Sr. Foundation is looking for sponsors to sponsor students for the upcoming University Experience Tour November 21st. Sponsorships are $100 per student, and there are only 100 seats available.

To Sponsor, Donate, or Volunteer, please contact the foundation at [email protected].

10/16/2026

We had the honor of hearing from our Freedom Flight Veterans. It is always emotional and impactful to hear how much getting to be honored means to these veterans. Freedom Flights is a 2 day trip sponsored by our area's Rotary Clubs in Highlands and Hardy Counties. We fly veterans to Washington DC to honor them and allow them to visit the war memorials.

Harold Adolf was a Navy doctor. He followed in the steps of his father, who was a surgeon. Harold services in the Viet Nam war and was stationed in Taiwan. After the war, he spent time as a doctor in Ethiopia.

Harold was touched by the clapping at the airports. He stated the memorials were very moving. Angela Cowden was his guardian on the trip, and she was honored to get to spend time with Harold and hear his stories.

Sam Daniels was also a Viet Nam vet. He served as an F-100 crew chief. Sam stated that it had been a really long time since he has heard, "Welcome home, Sam."

He said the changing of the guard at Arlington was really something. He appreciated the time invested by these young soldiers to perform their duties. He also enjoyed the Air Force Memorial. "I loved being in the Air Force," Sam told our group. He said he brought back a lot of baggage, however. He lost his mother while he was overseas, and he lost a good friend as well.

He ended by saying, "Blessed is the man who would lay down his life for a friend." Becky McIntyre accompanied him as his guardian.

Harry Powell was an engineer in the Marines. He was responsible for demolition in the service. Raymond McIntyre was his guardian, and shared that Harry is a Highlands County native.

Harry said the standing applause the received everywhere was overwhelming. He told himself that if he could keep it together when he saw the memorial wall, he'd be okay.

He shared that the Jr ROTC not only gave them a send off, but they wrote the veterans letters so that they would receive a recreation of a mail call on the trip.

He thanked Sue Birge and John Eason for the great job they do putting this annual flight together.

10/08/2026

Virgil Beato is a beloved teacher at Sebring High School, as well as a fellow Rotarian in the Rotary Club of Highlands County. He also leads the Young Americans for Freedom group which engages our leaders of tomorrow to be actively engaged in politics locally, nationally, and on the world stage. They recently placed 120 Israeli flags to commemorate and honor the 1200 Israelis who lost their lives in the October 7th attack three years ago.

He has been giving presentations about Amendment 3 which is on the November ballot. Virgil wanted us to actually read the amendment so we understood what a yes vote or no vote meant.

Amendment 3 is a proposed property tax reform. A yes vote will increase the homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027, and increase it to $250,000 in 2028. It also limits counties and municipalities to only use property tax revenues solely for core services such as public safety, education and schools, infrastructure, natural resources, bond debt service, retirement benefits for employees, and operations and administration.

A no vote keeps the current exemption in place and caps growth. It also gives counties and municipalities more discretion to best use the tax revenues.

Virgil laid out some of the talking points on both sides.

Supporters say it offers property tax relief. It keeps the Cost of Living reasonable. It also holds counties and municipalities more accountable for expenditures for County services.

Opponents site three key issues: it leaves fiscal uncertainty for the more rural counties; it will create some very difficult budgeting decisions; strict guidelines for spending may mean some services will be cut if they are not considered core services.

Virgil wants us all to do our due diligence and educate ourselves before we vote so we understand what we are voting for--it is what he is instilling in his young adult students.

Please visit VoteHighlands.gov to view a sample ballot, and to get more information on polling locations, what you need to bring to vote, etc. If you have questions, you can call the Supervisor of Elections Office at 863.402.6655

10/03/2026

Another successful Lake Jackson Clean Up! Thanks you to all our volunteers, and to the Highlands County Sheriff's Office, Fire & Rescue, Highlands County Parks Department and all those on boats and airboats for pulling trash out of the water. And a shout out to the young ladies of Giggles & Glue!

10/01/2026

Deputy Chief Dustin Fitch has been a first responder for over 24 years. Highlands County Fire & Rescue was created in 2018 when communities in Highlands County just could not sustain a volunteer system anymore. In that time, they have added 3 new fire trucks, with 3 more on the way. A new state of the art fire station is being built out by the racetrack, and they have received state appropriations for the new Lake Placid fire station.

After being approached by Cora Schwingel of Change of Pace to create a presentation regarding Do Not Resuscitate Orders, he has since given several talks to disseminate information to the public.

The State of Florida dictates very clear rules for first responders. There is a difference between Advance Directives and a Do Not Resuscitate Order. First Responders must see the actual DH1896, the form provided on the Florida Deptartment of Health website. It also has to be printed on yellow paper, which is required by Florida Law for enforcement. The form is a one-page form which is necessary in emergencies. It is easy for the first responders to recognize the form. They are mandatated to follow this form--NOT advance directives.

DNRO's apply to two things: an individual whose heart has stopped, or they cease to breathe on their own without intervention. Chief Fitch also pointed out that it must be the current revision of form DH-1896.

Chief Fitch suggests that you first have a talk with your friends, family and loved one about your wishes so everyone is on the same page. Your doctor must be made aware of your wishes as well, so have that conversation with them as well so they can give their okay. Download the DH-1896 form from the FLDOH website and sign it. It doesn't have to be notarized. Take it to Office Depot and have them make lots of copies. The new form has a wallet sized section you can cut out and put in your wallet. Since first responders need to see your ID, keeping it with your drivers license makes it easy to find. When you give your advanced directives to your doctors, family, and medical surrogate, include a copy of the DNRO.

Chief Fitch says the biggest part of the job is being a patient advocate. They want to follow your wishes. Always call 911! Our first responders want to provide us with the best care possible. He pointed out that if a person is a DNRO-possessing individual, there is no charge if that person passes on the scene, or in the back of the ambulance. In fact, his department is recognized as being in the top 1% in the Southeast US for correct billing.

To find the DNR order form, and read more information on the laws, please visit

A do not resuscitate order (DNRO) is a form or patient identification device developed by the Florida Department of Health to identify people who do