I originally joined Rotary at the invitation of the infamous Robin Hood.  He and I were working on an initiative to encourage Downtown Rotarians to become blood donors.  Downtown Rotary enrolled in a program called Partners for Life whereby the group made a pledge to donate blood as a group.  Robin and Bernie Carriere both encouraged me to join Rotary.  As a result I joined the Downtown Club that year.
 
What began as a primarily business initiative changed drastically for me when I transferred to Lethbridge Sunrise.  I found myself with commitments that conflicted with the downtown club’s Monday lunch meeting and I prefer a morning meeting.  Immediately, in the Sunrise club I found a group of people that inspired me with their sincere commitment to service, both within the community and the world at large.  I felt a warm, welcoming and accepting spirit. The weekly meetings serve to keep me mindful of the many ways we can help others, while enjoying the good fellowship of the members.

So perhaps more importantly, why will I remain a member of Rotary? There are many reasons.  The ones that come to mind for me now are: the Four Way Test keeps me focused in the way I want to live my life; the members of our Rotary group are a diverse and entertaining group who get things done; and lastly, I love the principles and universal awareness of the organization as a whole.