A Quote From RI Past President Rick KIng
Who Touched You?
.... It never entered my mind that day 41 years ago, when someone touched me and invited me to join something higher than self. Who made me a better husband, a better father, a better family member, made me a better lawyer, a better citizen, a better humanitarian. Who gave me the best friends in the world that anybody can have, the people in my club, who didn't even know my mother when she died, but all showed up at her funeral to support me. When that man came to my office and said "I'd like you to be part of Rotary", I did not know then that he was introducing me to the best people in the world, of every race, and religion, and color, and culture, and language, and ideology, and nationality. And they all have been my friends, so that today I can go to anyone of the 34 thousand clubs and so can you, and be accepted across the globe as a citizen of the world. I had no idea, when someone touched me, but I guess the question really is "Who touched you?". Who invited you to join Rotary; who made you part of this global effort, which as we move into the 21st century has called upon us as never before to solve the problems of the human race; who made you a part of the divine nature. For every second of the day, we make the blind to see, the deaf to hear, we clothe the naked, we feed the hungry, we heal the sick, we save lives, we bring hope, we educate, we care, we love. And every time somebody contributes to the Rotary Foundation and becomes a Paul Harris fellow, we save the lives of 4 human beings. I have always thought that is as good as an investment as a new wrist watch, a suit of clothes, a chair, a couch, a car, and a cruise. I got my share of those and I do not regret any of those. But I feel so blessed and grateful to that individual who touched me on the shoulder and said "How would you like to be a part of this global organization that literally does God's work on earth".....
Rick King, November 3, 2009 Woodland Community Center