An End is a Beginning
It is the end of the 2010/2011 Rotary Year, the end of my stint as President of The Rotary Club of fair lawn. It was a great experience, something that is hard to describe, but it is something that is felt in your gut. Being a Rotarian is a wonderful experience, you get to see the world in a different way, not as a banker, not as a member of the local planning board, not as a trustee of a corporation, but as an individual that is part of something larger than himself. What is done on the local level is something that is multiplied thousands of times over and is given the opportunity to make a greater impact than if it was done on its own by one person. As a Rotarian, I found that one person can and does make a big difference in the community around the corner and across the globe.
June was also the end of the high school career of the Fair Lawn High School Class of 2011. Four members of the Class of 2011 received Rotary Club of Fair Lawn scholarships to assist them in continuing their educational aspirations around the country; we wish our scholarship winners and their classmates the best of everything as they continue along the road of adulthood.
Rotarians have always been there for the youth of our community. Our scholarship awards are just one facet of Rotary’s service to youths. We are once again a proud donor to the Maurice M. Pine Library’s Children Summer Reading Program. During this past year, we once again donated dictionaries to third graders through out the district and are in the planning stages of hosting a Spelling Bee for fourth graders. We have also continued our relationship with Columbia Bank in the distribution of Kids Care DNA Identification Kits at both of the Fair Lawn Chamber of Commerce’s Street Fairs.
As Service to Youths is important to local Rotarians, it is just as important on the Rotary district and international levels. Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) is a Rotary District important multi-day workshop program focusing on leadership, team building and professional development. Internationally, Rotary offers many educational opportunities for the youth of the world to foster understanding and conflict resolution.
Locally, Fair Lawn Rotarians were once again busy this year. March 2011 was the first Volunteering in Fair Lawn Information Night coordinated by The Rotary Club of Fair Lawn. This event brought over 40 different volunteer organizations to the
All in all another busy year as a Rotarian, seemingly a bit busier since I was President. While my term ended it ended happily pulling of the winning ticket in our Fuel Your Summer Adventures Mini 50-50 Cash Raffle. I was able to pull the wining ticket, giving the winner about $1,200.
And with that, I give the gavel and bell to Glenn Stubaus to ring in the New Rotary Year of 2011/2012!