"The Big Monster Took My Bike" by District Governor Jennifer Strong
District Governor Jennifer Strong was our guest on Thursday, July 14, 2022. Governor Strong provided us with her personal Rotary biography, including her transformation from an everyday, active Rotarian into a Rotarian who finally understood why she is a Rotarian. Jennifer has been a 2016 District 5130 Rotarian of the Year, founding member of the District 5130 Fire Relief Fund, 5130 Grant Chair, and 5130 Youth Exchange Club Counselor. She told us about her huge Rotarian transformational moment and asked us to provide some of our similar transformational Rotarian experiences. Governor Jennifer told us that this is the time to reimagine and rebuild Rotary and that one of the ways we can do that is by connecting with one another and sharing our stories, including our own stories about why we are Rotarians.
Governor Jennifer started in Rotary as a high school student in 1987 at Clearlake High School. She returned to Rotary in 1998, joining the Rotary Club of Lakeport. She is a Certified Financial Planner and like many of us thought that joining Rotary would be helpful for developing her business. She was an active member of her club, including serving as club president, but did not fully understand the power of Rotary until the 2015 Lake County Fire devastated the region. She helped start the Lake Area Rotary Fire Relief Fund, which raised more than $1M for residents affected by the fire. When the Tubbs Fire terrorized Sonoma County in 2017, she helped expand the Fund to provide fire relief to Sonoma County, renaming it as the District 5130 Fire Relief Fund and helping to generate donations of over $3M for disaster relief!
Jennifer’s transformational Rotarian moment came while she was working on the Lake County Fire Relief Fund. At a fire relief event, a little girl approached her and wrapped her arms around Jennifer. The little girl told Jennifer, “The big monster took my bike.” This simple statement shook Jennifer and changed her as a person. After 28 years in Rotary, this is the moment when she “really became a Rotarian!”
Jennifer asked Sunrisers to join into small groups and discuss our own Rotary transformational moments. Past President Rich Randolph talked about his own Rotary moments, including how his long involvement in Sunrise’s efforts in Nicaragua led he and Betsy to host the Fonseca family, who had left everything in Nicaragua and immigrated to the United States as refugees. Rich added that the Fonseca family is doing well!
Governor Jennifer also promised a visit from District Assistant Governor, Brian Reid, in the September time frame will join us to deliver the vision of Rotary International and some of the District’s ideas that will hopefully bring value, resources, and assistance back to the District’s clubs. Thank you for the amazing visit, Governor Jennifer, and we will see you in action this year!
Click HERE to view a recording of Jennifer's program. You will see why Harry is holding that basket. The recording is available for only a short time.
