Why I Am A Rotarian
JUNE 6, 2006
I joined Rotary
18 years ago. A good friend told me it was a great group of
people and it would be good for my business. A lot of
people join Rotary to interact with the business community,
but like many things in life reasons for participation
change.
Why? Because as
we get to know our fellow members and learn details of their
lives, Rotary becomes a family. I look forward to
Wednesday’s so I can say Hi to Jack Dalton who, 18 years
ago, was Chairman of Rotary Information and indoctrinated me
into the privileges and responsibilities of being a
Rotarian. I get to shake hands with John Crochet knowing
that he flew B17s in the war and helped to free some of my
relatives who were in concentration camps. I helped to
remodel Larry Jackson’s house and knew his son before he got
1600 on his SAT, and went off to Stanford. These are
intimate memories.
Rotary gives us
all the chance for personal growth. I love Camp Enterprise,
and the opportunity to help young people. Cam Killingsworth
said, ”This is a program that feeds your soul.” You go to
there to help other people but you learn a lot about
yourself too. A lot of people cry at the end because we get
so close to the kids and our Rotarian friends.
Our Presidents
work very hard to make each meeting special, and they have
deep feelings for our club. It was quite moving that during
his closing address to our club that rough and tough Don
Wylie got choked up when describing ours as the “Greatest
Rotary Club in the world”.
That is what
happens. You join Rotary for one reason, and as you get to
know its people and its programs a deep emotional bond
develops. Every meeting is a wonderful moment of sharing
time with, all of you, my family.
Philip Smith,
Rotary Club of
Long Beach, California USA
D-5320
