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From the Governor's Desk
I FoUND MYSELF!
One of the great secrets of service is that when we lose ourselves in serving others we FIND ourselves. But what does it mean to FIND YOURSELF?
Finding yourself means you add a new dimension to your life. When we serve others we create new connections, new memories, and have new experiences. This bundle of benefits then become a new part of who YOU are forever. You are affected. You become a new person. You find yourself. Let me share a story.
During a recent club visit to Baker City, Oregon, I had the opportunity of spending some time with Ken Krohn, President of the Baker City Club. After the club meeting, Ken took me around town and showed me some of the wonderful projects with which their club is involved. (This was an act of service by Ken to me, an act of kindness from which we both benefited but I digress). The story continues.
Baker City is full of wonderful service projects each proudly displaying the Rotary wheel. Ken took me to Geyser Pullman Park in downtown Baker City. At the entrance to the park is happy blue bike rack welcoming bike riders of all ages to this favorite community gathering place.
Next to it there is a bronze plaque dedicated to Weston Daniel Gibbons. The plaque was carefully and professionally installed by a Rotarian who although he attends club meetings less frequently he always responds when called upon to serve.
The bike rack and plaque are both dedicated to seven-year-old Weston who was tragically killed in a sledding accident in McCall last year. Weston’s parents are not Rotarians, however they are members of the tight-knit community of Baker City. Weston’s death was a community loss.
So Baker Rotarians rallied around this family and dedicated this memorial and bike rack to his memory. On the day of the dedication a large group of friends and family gathered at the appointed spot and with glad but tearful hearts, they accepted this wonderful gesture of service.
Now how do you think the Gibbons family feels toward the Baker City Rotary Club? Do you think this added a new dimension to their lives? How about the unnamed Rotarian who carefully smoothed out the wooden post and securely but painstakingly mounted the bronze plaque securely nearby? Do you think he grew from that experience? And how about me?
When Ken told me this story while standing next to this plaque, my heart was touched. I saw for myself that it was all about Weston. Ken and Baker club members who put this project together, forgot about themselves and served someone else.
As a result you can count how many people ‘found themselves’, made connections and were touched by this wonderful, simple project.
I challenge Rotarians everywhere to say YES when you are asked to serve. Forget about yourself and your busy schedule and all the worries and cares that you personally have bearing down on you.
Go and serve. In doing so you will FIND yourself.
Rich Kirkham, '19-'20 District 5400 Governor
UPCOMING FUNDRAISERS
Magic valley beer festival
august 3
What makes a hot summer day more enjoyable? Cold craft beer & ciders!
Blue Lakes Rotary Club presents the 8th Annual Magic Valley Beer Festival, Aug 3rd from 1-6 p.m. in Twin Falls City Park. Live music by Front Porch Flavor and The Riffbrokers.
Food trucks from Anchor Bistro, Big Fatty’s BBQ, Ketchum Burrito, Pizzeria Antico and Sawtooth Brewery.
Over 55 brewers, and 130 different beverages to taste. Silent Auction all afternoon. Tickets: $25 advance $35 day of event. $10 Designated Drivers. Must be 21.
Fire Training Tower demonstration! 10-12
Classic car show (near John's Hole Bridge) - 10am-4pm
INL vehicle display - Bearcat, Firetruck Bus, Electric Vehicle
Big Rig truck show
Boat Show behind LeRitz Hotel
RV show
Speedboat races by Snake River Speedboats (9-1) near Keefer's Island
Home Depot "build it" project for the kids
Cabela's bow & arrow shooting for the kids
Military and Helicopter displays
Pingpong ball drop sponsored by HK Construction - 2:30
Candy bomb event - 3:00
Military Flyover - 3:30
Lots of craft booths, food trucks, etc. (Proceeds from vendors benefit CASA)
McCall Ball is a family-friendly, easy-to-learn, 3-person, CO-Ed 'softball' game for all ages. Teams will play with an oversized plastic bat and a nerf-type ball.
Each team will be guaranteed 3 games, throwing, batting and catching required- Running is not!
McCall Rotary Club is introducing this event to the public, fees collected will go to the Rotary local scholarships and programs in need.
Please contact McCall Ball Director, Craig Vroom, at 719 648-8463 to sign up for the Rotary tournament or if you have questions.
Entry fee for a Rotarian team is $45. To sign up for the Youth or Open tournament, go on-line to City of McCall, Parks and Recreation web site.
Entry fees for those tournaments are: Youth: $30, Open: $45.
McCall Ball raises funds to support youth scholarships, local charities, and community service organizations.
Gooding Rotary Club raises funds to help us support local and regional programs including but not limited to educational scholarships, local library projects, community improvement projects, and school activity and sports projects.
Join us for a fun filled evening of cheese, wine, and beer tasting hosted by area wineries, breweries, and cheese producers.
There will be a live and silent auction with many interesting items.
Treasure Valley Rotary Club members, friends and family meet every other Saturday throughout summer and fall to water the 650 seedlings they planted in Hulls Gulch.
Emmett Rotary presented $45,770 to local youth groups in Gem County as a result of their annual Flip Flops and Flamingos Presents...Dinner and Auction.
This is a big milestone for the Rotary Club of Idaho Falls it will help us have a new community park on our river walk and a place for us to Plant Trees!
Rotary District 5400 is currently accepting scholarship applications for the 2019-2020 academic year. This scholarship will benefit an incoming college freshman in the 2019-2020 academic year.
Is your idea of a great summer weekend 1) visiting McCall and enjoying the lake and all the outdoor activities? 2) taking part in a Rotary fundraising activity which supports youth scholarships and local charities? and 3) having a super time with other Rotarians while earning District 5400 bragging rights for a year? Well, if you answered yes to those questions, then McCall on August 24th - the date of McCall Rotary’s McCall Ball - is where you want to be!
The planning for RYLA 2019 is well underway. RYLA will offer its unique style of leadership experiences, with room for 84 high school students this year - incoming juniors to outgoing seniors.