Rotary is Maureen Drummond’s go-to in times of professional need and personal connections. Read on to learn why she loves Youngstown, what’s great about RCY, and her deep appreciation of personal storytelling.
Name: Maureen A. Drummond                    
                                                                                        
Preferred Nickname: People call me Reen or Reenie - never, ever Mo!         
                                                                                                   
Years in Rotary: 9
                                                                                                            
Resident of: Right now, Ellsworth.  I was a Youngstown City resident until 2004.     
                                                                                                       
Hometown: Youngstown    
                                                                                                        
How long have you lived here? In Ellsworth, 16 long years.  In Youngstown, 42 years.  
                                                                                                         
What brought you here, or kept you here? I have traveled all over the U.S. and Europe and aside from Ireland, there is no better place to come home to than the Mahoning Valley.  What keeps me here: the people, a true sense of community and there is no other place where people ask you where you went to school and they want to know what high school!          
                                                                                                 
Education: I'm a proud YSU graduate (Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, 1985, and graduate studies in education).    
                                                                                                    
Occupation: President of TRu Consulting (advising small businesses and nonprofits on developing and implementing best practices).                     
                                                                                       
Who is in your family circle? My husband of 30 years, David; my Mom, Margaret; my brother, David, his wife Tamara Psinka and my nephew, John David; my brother in law, Alan Scannell, his wife Lisa, our niece, Christina, nephews Stephen and Matthew, and Christina's three sons.          
                                                                                                 
Do you have any pets?  If so, what are their names and what are they like? Our two fur babies are Teaghan and Ciaran.         
                                                                                                   
When you are not working, how do you like to spend your time? Traveling, reading, home improvements, dinner with friends, sewing and gardening.                                                                                                            
Why did you join Rotary? Because of its strong presence in communities and the work that's done locally and across the globe.          
                                                                                                 
Why do you remain a Rotarian? You can't find a better group of people!  If I ever need anything, the first people I think of are my fellow Rotarians.  If they can't help, they have trusted resources to connect me to.                                                                                                            
Which Rotary Project resonates with you and your understanding of our community's needs? I love Operation Warm and my current involvement in Operation Pollination.                                                                                                        
What does Rotary's motto "Service Above Self" mean to you? I grew up in a home where we cared for those who had less than we had, even in the lean years.  My father was famous for inviting people to our table and never thinking there wouldn't be enough, because there was always enough.  So, service above self means putting the needs of others before yours because in the end, the gifts of one, become the gifts of all.           
                                                                                                    
What would you be doing on Wednesdays if you didn't attend the weekly luncheon meeting? Working through lunch.  
                                                                                                         
Which type of Rotary socials do you prefer - black tie affairs or casual attire? Casual attire.  I spent too many years dressing up.  Plus, the older you get, the lower your heels get!                                                                                                            
A Rotary tradition is to have sing-alongs during meetings.  Would you ever lead us in a song? Never. I got kicked out a church choir.  That should indicate my skill level.                                                                                                            
What do you think of Scott Schulick's Rotary pants, and would you wear a pair? Scott is a very proud supporter of many organizations, so I don't think we should take the honor of wearing those pants away from him.                                                
                                                             
What's a story of yours that you don't get to tell often enough? I believe we all have lots of stories we don't tell often enough. I will tell you a story if I believe you're interested and it will impact your life in a positive way.  I spent many years recording older people's stories because they didn't have families and wouldn't have left a legacy if someone didn't listen to their story.  Listening to people tell their stories is an equalizer. It helps us understand that there are ties that bind us if we accept them.