My favorite time of year!

 

As summer fades and changes to autumn, we watch the riverbanks shift colors from one season to another. Along the South Fork of the Snake River the cool crisp air strengthens the red, green, and yellow colors which fill the mountain sides.  

 

Autumn is a tranquil time.  We get the time to enjoy the bright colors, the fresh air and the beautiful scenery waiting around every corner. The only way you can make the breathtaking majesty any better is to enjoy a freshly picked apple and snickers bar while you are there.  Each season holds its own beauty and purpose. While we all can enjoy the vivid reds and oranges of autumn, we can also enjoy the more muted pastels of winter and look forward to one as much as the other, simply for the thrill of experiencing what comes next.

 

Life is good! 

 

October is Community Economic Development Month within Rotary, and it provides us with an opportunity to reflect on an important part of our Rotary history: vocational service. Our membership in Rotary is based on our vocation and within our club we try to create a microcosm of the businesses and professions in our community.  Rotary’s unique commitment to vocational service is what sets us apart from other service and humanitarian organizations.

 

I would like to pay tribute to each of you for your untiring commitment to service.  You may have noticed that you each have a Rotary vocational classification in your club.  Have you ever wondered why?  If you’re reading this, please text me. It is because your specific vocation is important for our club to achieve its goals.  Your personal commitment to vocational service is so often an avenue through which you serve and perhaps you don't always recognize it as service.  Every occupation fills a need, and by doing our work well, we are contributing to our communities and our society.

 

The role of vocational service in our District is important, even if it isn't always prominent. By maintaining high standards individually, we earn a reputation that we share collectively. By valuing all occupations equally and by maintaining a classification system in our clubs, we ensure that our clubs reflect our communities – and can serve them well.  A Rotary club of all lawyers wouldn't be capable of nearly as much as one that includes teachers, engineers, CPA’s, business owners, and dentists.  In Rotary, our diversity is our strength. That diversity is an advantage not only to our service but to our club members and community as a whole as we “Serve to Change Lives”