Why I Joined Rotary: PP Erva Denham

How the Rotary Club of St. Thomas II Spread Its Net and Caught Me

by Erva A. Denham

To begin, this is my home, I love it, and it has been very good to me.   So what is home?  I’ll give you my definition regarding my true home, and please think about how it may apply to you and your relationship to your community.  First, I’ve never voted anywhere else.  Second, I’ve never paid taxes anywhere else, and third, I’ve never lost anything anywhere else. Considering who it is we recently inducted as an honorary member of our Club, (Dr. Hall, President of UVI) it’s proper that I tell you how the Virgin Islands has been so good to me.  

The most important thing I’ve received here in my home is a great education.  I’m proud of the fact that I’m a product of Virgin Islands schools – Julius E. Sprauve School in Cruz Bay through the 6^th grade and Sts. Peter and Paul from 7^th grade through high school, from which I graduated in 1964.  It was my good fortune to be able to go on to college on full scholarships – first to the College of the Virgin Islands where I was a member of its second graduating class.  Then there was another very special scholarship to New York University and through that scholarship, I became a member of the first co-operative venture between NYU and CVI in teacher education.  

The proviso for accepting was that I had to promise to “Come Back to the Virgin Isles,” and to teach for at least two years. My reaction was, “You’re going to send me to school and guarantee me a job, too?  I’ll take it!”  I did and for 10 years was a high school teacher of English, Journalism and Composition. 

Life goes on and changes are inevitable.  In the early 1990’s, there was a significant job change, which I got on a handshake.  I went to work for the Virgin Islands Public Television System as the station’s accountant.  At that time, Cal Bastian was the station’s general manager, and was a member of Rotary II.  It was through him that I got a headlong but sort of sideways introduction to Rotary. In June of 1995, That year, Rotary II was the host Club for the Paul Harris Dinner Dance.  

Don’t we always want to know about the handover from the previous Club administration?  That year, the handover was huge – all of $94.00, and I was doubtful about the Club’s ability to get anything up and running with that small a start.  That’s when I learned about the Club’s Rainbow Fund.

So here I was, already something of a community activist, and here is Rotary, another organization intent on doing good for the community but with a major difference from the other organizations I’m also a part of.  This is the short list:  I’m Chairperson of the VI Civil Rights Commission, an active member of the League of Women Voters, the Northside Civic Organization, the Red Hook Community Alliance, and the Environmental Association of St. Thomas-St. John.  I’ve also worked with the Westend Alliance.  These are wonderful community groups, but because of their basic nature, of necessity often have to become highly political. 

Rotary, on the other hand, had plans to do great things without getting embroiled in politics – other than the usual Club internal politics.  This was such an eye opener and I wanted to be a part of it because there were enough activities and projects planned to suit the interests of every member of the Club.  

 For over a year I worked with. I loved the concept of Rotary then and still do.  It is, by far, the best organization I know through which I can continue to pay back to this community which has been so good to me.  That is why and how I became a Rotarian..