Governor's Visit 2014
by Lorine Parks
“Give me a V! Give me an I!” So District Governor Elsa Gillham began her official visit to us, with an acronym to outline her ambitions for her Rotary Year and District 5280.
V is for Visibility. Wear your Rotary pin. Let the community know you’re proud to be a Rotarian, and tell them what Rotary does for your community.
I incites with a call to action: get Involved. Our longest-perfect attendance member, of 67 years, Angelo Cardono, was called up and given a red-clad certificate of appreciation by the Governor.
B stands for Bigger and Better projects, and Alex Lopez was honored for his work the past several years as club activities director. Alex remarked that he has been Involved with this club since his father Raul Lopez’s presidential year, when he was a toddler and his father brought him to club meetings.
R means Reach out to new Recruits. Rich Strayer of the Membership Committee was honored for all the new members he has brought into the club. If each Rotarian lights a candle, and each new member lights a candle from that, the world will be a bright place, Governor Elsa told us.
A means Advancement of Rotary ideals to the public, to show what Rotary can do.
N was a joking negative – Never Having Fun? That reminded this reporter of President Rick Lively’s recipe for our club’s ideal activity: “Rotarians having fun doing good.”
The last letter, T, stood for Too many Things to write down, for a Tremendous Rotary year. Larry McGrew was singled out for his contributions to the Foundation. “I’m pleased and happy to be a Rotarian,” said Larry. “I enjoy everybody in this club.”
Put them all together and they spell VIBRANT, which is how Governor Elsa wants Rotarians to be. It’s a good word to describe the Gov herself.