SPRING IS IN THE AIR AND APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAY FLOWERS!!!

On April 9th, many Christians will celebrate Easter. Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the Spring Equinox. Little girls and boys and their parents will dress in new outfits in lighter colors and fabrics to celebrate at Church and/or with their families. As Easter eggs symbolize new life and rebirth, so do plants and trees that have been dormant.  We’ve had a little preview of the warmer weather and are starting to make plans for projects that we want to do outside. I ask again, is there a project that we can plan in our community to help improve the lives of others? Many have asked to do more community service, and we are looking for an idea for a project we could get done in a day or weekend or maybe a few days.  Can we plant flowers at the Veteran’s Home or at one of the parks?

Last month I attended PETS in Kalamazoo for the 2^nd year in a row. I met so many great Rotarians of all levels of the organization and heard from the New International President, Gordan McInally, about our upcoming Rotary year of Hope that will start on July 1, 2023. Mental Illness will take a seat at the table as a focus that he would like to bring into the light.  After losing his brother as a result of the disease, Gordan sees education as a way to limit the stigma of dealing with mental illness so that people are able to get the help they need. We heard from many wonderful speakers of how Rotary has affected them and subsequently how they have affected change in their communities and the world.  Powerful stuff!!! 

I look forward to all of our club members choosing a committee to showcase their talents, helping out at our first Chicken BBQ in June and bringing in new members! Think about wearing your Rotary pin(s) as it is can be a great conversation starter when you are living your daily life. Remember to talk about our Club and the impact that it has made in the past and projects that we are working on for the future. Think of who may be a great fit and invite them to them to share lunch with us. We all need to work together to be the most successful club we can be.

I wish all of my fellow Rotarians a Blessed Easter and a productive Spring. And don’t forget to be a blessing to others!

Diane Van Epps, President