Why I Became A Rotarian...PP Val George

PP Val who has been a Rotarian for twenty-two plus years was the presenter of ‘Why I Became a Rotarian’.  She was first introduced to Rotary when she was the director of Volunteer Partnership Services at the Department of Education where she started the Adopt-A-School program.  Rotary II got the ball rolling as a result of her attending a meeting and making a presentation on the Adopt-A-School program. 

Ron Sherwood was her sponsor and Chris Brathwaite was the president at the time; therefore, PP Chris was the one who notified her of her membership in Rotary.  She became the second female in the Club; and even though there were some members who were not in favor of having female members, PP Val never encountered any negativity in the Club.  She served on all four avenues of service, and all positions, and became the first female president of Rotary II.  She claimed that she felt that she had to be a good president since if she didn’t, there wouldn’t be any more female presidents serving after her. Her most rewarding year in Rotary was in 1996 when two cars were raffled and the gain from the raffle was so successful that her administration was the first to contribute $150,000 to the Rainbow Fund .   She credits PE Lorraine for introducing the car raffle concept as a fund raiser.

Rotary has helped PP Val to grow and acquire new friends in the process.