"Why would a sane young businessperson join the roles of a community service club or organization? What could be the expected return? Here's a snippet from a conversation I've had innumerable times:
"Say, Tom," I said, "why don't you come as my guest to our Rotary Club meeting next Thursday? We're having a builder speak about the current housing market."
Tom lowered his gaze to try to mask his search for an acceptable way to decline. "I would, Joe, but I'm pretty busy this month. Perhaps another time?"
I nudged him, "So, uh, when did you give up eating lunch on Thursdays, Tom? You haven't? So then, why not come eat with the most influential people in the area?"
"Well, you have a point there, Joe. I'll come see what it's like!"
As Sam Barnes, President of Fifth-Third Bank said, "Rotarians care about their community and foster the common ideal of serving their community. The weekly meetings provide me the opportunity to see and visit with a number of people I would not otherwise see during the week." He finds the service opportunities "challenging and rewarding."
Many businesspeople join service clubs initially to make new contacts and find themselves growing as human beings when they start to serve others.
"It's a deeper, richer form of satisfaction," said Dr. Dale Elifrits, professor of mining engineering at Northern Kentucky University, about service with his club in Covington. Elifrits has been a Rotarian for a quarter of a century, serving as a District Governor in Rolla, Mo., before transferring to Kentucky.
Bill Kimbrell, a consultant, finds an even more personal reason for working in international projects. He is working on Rotary's flagship program, PolioPlus, which has reduced polio cases from over 300,000 per year to 500 currently, in the four remaining countries where polio still exists.
"I'm the PolioPlus chairman for our district, working to rid the world of this horrid disease," said Kimbrell. "My wife of 44 years had polio as a child; hence, polio is 'up close and personal' in my life. Without Rotary, I would have never had this opportunity to make a difference in eradicating polio from the face of the earth." He is, in fact, so proud of his role in the campaign that he mentions it in virtually every motivational speech he gives.
Even some people whose job involves community service love the satisfaction produced by further community involvement. Erin Gold has an interesting take on this. She's vice president of the Bluegrass Division of Goodwill Industries of Kentucky and has been a Rotarian since 1999. She cannot attend every weekly meeting, but commented, "Rotary even allows me to make-up the meetings online!"
She has been involved in many community service projects. "My position at Goodwill offers me the opportunity to be generous and give of myself everyday at work, but I live in a larger community too. Rotary is my connection to that larger community. Within the last month, I served lunch at the Hope Center and helped with the winter coat distribution. I also attended the weekly meetings and was the cashier for this month."
Gordon Patterson, president of Carpet One, also has a strong commitment to the community. "Rotary relaxes you. It takes your mind off your busy schedule and lets you meet your peers in a very informal way. It also gives you a chance to hear a variety of very interesting speakers. I have been very rewarded by my involvement in the many service projects of my club."
Patterson has a special word for those that ask his involvement in projects: yes. Over the years, he has supported projects like the Santa Coat Project, which provides over 1,300 new winter coats (through the incredible Dawahares organization) to disadvantaged kids in and around Lexington, by storing the coats and other items.
Attorney Jack Cunningham of Frost Brown Todd puts it very clearly: "Giving back to the community in which we live and work is critical for every business person, young or old. A service club membership and active participation therein is a way to supercharge that commitment because of the great impact that a club can have on a particular problem in the community. This is validated by the Lexington Rotary Club's commitment to the Miracle League and other banner projects in this community."
I guess you've figured out that members of service clubs are positive people. They have found that just a spark of interest in a community need can turn into a roaring bonfire by talking to other club members. Personally, I feel almost guilty at times, taking away so much satisfaction from participation in a service project. I love it, and I think you would too.
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