International Rotary Club award presented to Renee Hembree

By Diane Billard

On Sunday, March 1, 2026, Rotary District 7770 Governor Sandy Morckel and Area 11 Assistant Governor Diane Billard presented the Rotary International Avenues of Services Award to Renee Hembree.  This was part of the program at the Spirits of Giving Mardi Gras Fundraiser at Hurricane Juel’s.

This award recognizes Rotarians who have received district-level recognition in all five Avenues of Service: Club Service, Vocational Service, Community Service, International Service and Youth Service.

Club Service —

In 2018, Renee Hembree heard some students were suffering at her neighborhood high school due to homelessness, lack of support, or living in an impoverished home. Her heart went out to them and she immediately began her ministry. What started as a short-term project to provide gift cards to the teens to purchase clothes at Christmas introduced her to the complexity of meeting their needs. This first event taught her that she required volunteers, staff support and a means for taking the teens to the store. Secondly, she learned not to make assumptions; many of these teens did not know how to determine their clothing size or what to shop for, some were concerned about cleaning the clothes and all needed adult guidance. Through this endeavor, Renee discovered a host of other needs these teens experienced and committed herself to their service. To support the program, she spoke to organizations about Teen Angels and partnered with her club, the Rotary Club of Little River. Eventually, she turned the program over to the Rotary Club of Little River and continued to co-chair the Teen Angels program through the Rotary Club. In addition to services related to the Teen Angels Committee, Renee has always assisted the club’s program chair in finding quality speakers for the meetings. She and her husband, Senator Greg Hembree, hosted Rotary events at her house and she was named Rotarian of the Year in 2019-2020.

Community Service —

Renee Hembree’s passion to help at-risk teens quickly turned to action and with administrative support and community and staff volunteers, she established a room at the high school where students in need could come for clothing, snacks, rest and hygiene products. However, she learned that providing for even the most rudimentary need wasn’t enough. For a student to “fit in,” they needed to be able to participate in school activities, clubs and dances, buy lunch with their peers and have the necessary school supplies. Renee endeavored to ensure these students had every chance to enjoy, participate and fit in high school like the average student. So, she established a non-profit foundation (501(c)(3), called Teen Angels and began a campaign soliciting donations from businesses, local organizations and community fundraising. Renee actively worked on behalf of Teen Angels for more than seventeen years, steering the organization into a thriving non-profit with local organizations holding annual fundraisers and businesses making yearly donations. Through her passion, needy students at the community high school enjoy a good meal each day and access to snacks, the equipment/materials they need to be successful at school, yearbooks, access to a laundry and a place to rest, the uniforms required to participate in a sport, club, ROTC or clothing, to include prom dresses and suits and when necessary, funds for a doctor or rent. In 2019, Renee announced her need to step down from leading Teen Angels. While her passion to see Teen Angels continued, she recognized the need to release the reins on Teen Angels. A member of the Rotary Club of Little River since 2014, she entrusted the club to lead Teen Angels with the hope they would continue to support the educational, emotional, environmental, hunger and sheltering/rest needs of homeless and impoverished or displaced students. She agreed to be the face of Teen Angels to ensure donations from annual contributors would continue to roll in. She has co-chaired the Teen Angels program until recently when she announced her retirement from Teen Angels, confident the program would continue to succeed through the Rotary Club of Little River. Renee’s efforts have not been in vain. Feedback from current students and Teen Angels alumni portrays the wealth of good the program has provided. Student participants have gone on to graduate, some entered college, but all now stand a better chance of becoming contributing members of society. In addition, other schools have adopted the Teen Angels program and are focused on the welfare of their neediest students and promoting their success.

International Service —

Through Teen Angels, she provided information about Rotary’s youth exchange program as a way of introducing teens to other opportunities that existed beyond their community. She and her husband also hosted a Rotary Youth Exchange student.

Vocational Service —

Renee Hembree has assisted at-risk teens with finding quality internships and other work opportunities as a way of advancing themselves. She has successfully mentored many students who have achieved quality positions due to her support.

Youth Service —

As already mentioned, Renee Hembree has provided mentorship to many students in North Myrtle Beach High School and served as a host for a youth exchange student. Her tireless efforts have helped numerous students and the work continues through the Rotary Club. She supports their efforts in having the students engaged in the North Myrtle Beach Interact Club as well as the RYLA program.