Coming home to the “real world” after a 15 day cruise hardly feels "real" anymore.
Every day seems to bring another jaw-dropping headline: billion-dollar lawsuits, vanity projects masquerading as leadership, outrage sold as entertainment, and images of immigrants and asylum seekers being held for long periods in overcrowded facilities under conditions many human rights advocates describe as inhumane. Add rising prices, global tensions, and economic uncertainty, and it can all feel exhausting.
And then, there's Rotary. Thank GOODNESS!
This week, my thoughts keep returning to membership. Around the world, Rotary membership is shrinking. Our own club experienced that firsthand when we lost 15 members last year. When I set our goal at 92 members by July 1, I knew it was ambitious.
What I didn’t realize was that we had a stealth secret weapon among us.
We have one member who regularly asks people he meets a simple question: “Why aren’t you in Rotary?”
And over and over, the answer has been remarkably similar: “Because nobody ever asked me.”
Wow. Could it really be that simple?
That one person alone brought in 12 of our 18 new prospects this year. Not everyone joined, of course, but many have — and several others are still considering it. Thank you, Chris.
At the beginning of this Rotary year, we had 85 members. So far this year, we’ve added 13 new members — a tremendous accomplishment worthy of celebration.
But the other side of the equation is harder. We’ve also lost 10 members. If that number remains unchanged through the end of June, we’ll finish the year at 88 members: an increase of three over last year, but far short of our goal.
Naturally, we ask ourselves why people leave.
Some rarely attended meetings anymore and perhaps no longer found value in membership. Several moved away and have already joined — or plan to join — Rotary clubs in their new communities. Others faced scheduling conflicts or changing personal priorities that no longer aligned with a 7:00 a.m. Tuesday meeting.
But what struck me most is this: while every person leaves a hole, some holes are simply bigger than others.
One of the largest holes was left by Lori Burke, who was taken from us far too early by Pancreatic Cancer. Her work with RYLA was legendary, and the impact she had on young people will ripple forward for years.
Mary Ann Johnston, now a Boulder Rotarian, championed literacy and the Guatemala Literacy Project for more than a decade. She and her husband generously created a Literacy Fund that will provide for years of literacy projects, both in our community and globally. Her passion helped shape one of our club's defining service areas.
And now another large hole will be left by Rick Williams and Cindy Levin as they move east to be closer to aging parents. Both have contributed immeasurably — not only to Rotary, but to countless nonprofits throughout Summit County. They have lived “Service Above Self” in the truest sense, giving generously of their time, talent, and treasure. We are deeply grateful for all they have done and wish them every happiness as they begin this next chapter.
It is always sad when people leave a club. We lose their voices. Their ideas. Their energy. Their smiles.
But perhaps that’s the beautiful thing about Rotary. Even when people leave the room, they rarely leave our lives.
The holes remain because the relationships mattered.
The impact mattered.
The friendship mattered.
And in the end, friendship may be the one thing we never really lose at all.
With warm Rotary hugs,
meet at Summit High School
