Rotary Taught Me Things I did not Know I Needed to Know

Rotary Taught Me Things I did not Know I Needed to Know
by Franci Hart

Ugh!

What could be more boring than a program on the Amazon distribution system. I was fully prepared to leave early when this program was announced. And I am so glad I did not.

Instead, I was fascinated by the logistics that are necessary to deliver my package on time. And so glad I stayed for the entire program.

Rotary programs frequently surprise me and almost always inform me. Few civic  organizations can offer Mayor Holt’s unabashed enthusiasm for our city or the legal insights of our state’s Attorney General. And I loved hearing Lee Allen Smith’s memories. (He sold his very first radio ad to my father.) And Russell Perry was monumental.

Always glad to receive an update on our Zoo and the OK Hall of Fame. The program on Not Your Average Joe and their work with special adults gave me hope for my grandson who is a Downs child.

But Rotary is more than its weekly programs. Through my participation in Rotary I can impact the disaster relief in the Maui wildfires, earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, Pakistani flooding and Ukrainian refuges. My modest contribution when combined with the global reach of Rotary International will touch so many more lives than I would ever be able to do on my own.

An added bonus to my Rotary membership: impressing my granddaughter.  She was astounded at a recent visit to the Zoo when I told her how my Rotary Club was helping with the construction the African Expedition. Normally she views me as a stuffy old lady who wants her to keep her elbows off the table.

As a semi-retired person who now works from home, getting dressed to venture downtown takes some effort. And for me it is more than worth it. I treasure my Rotary membership and look forward to continuing to make new friends at the weekly luncheons.