Why I Joined Rotary by Amber Darroch

In the fall of 2008 the school where I was principal applied for and received funding from Lethbridge Sunrise Rotary Club for some special technology we were seeking to use with our students. Berga Moen invited me to a meeting to be presented with the donation, which happened to be the same meeting where Henning Mundell described his goal of raising funds for the hospital in rural India. I marveled at a local organization whose impact would range from local youth to a remote community in a developing country.

I was intrigued by Rotary and became quite serious about joining after only a couple more meetings with new friends and interesting presentations. I had been looking for a way to become involved with a volunteer service organization, and Rotary seemed like the fit to me. I worried about making a large commitment given the house full of teenagers we have at home and the two busy careers my husband and I pursue. The early morning meeting that always ends at 8 a.m. is something I felt I could fit into my week, and with a long term commitment, foresee my level of involvement evolving over the years. I was encouraged to join the club with the assurance that whatever time and service I was able to give would be enough.

Through the last two years, I continue to grow as a Rotarian, with a growing appreciation for the international leadership, strategic vision, and broad range of programs of Rotary International. The many youth programs are a natural connection for me as an education sector professional. Rotary has given me the opportunity to grow professionally through connections with colleagues across so many public and private domains. I certainly feel more ties to my Lethbridge community than I did before becoming a Rotarian.

In my school district, we share a starfish pin with all new employees as a symbol of our ability to make a difference. The starfish reference comes from the story of a man walking down the beach with a friend as the tide had washed out and left many starfish drying out, beached on the sand. As they walked, the man bent over and threw the odd starfish out into the ocean. Finally his friend stopped him and asked him why he would bother when he could not possibly save all the starfish on the beach. The man stopped and threw one more back into the sea, saying, “I may not be able to save them all, but for that one, it makes all the difference.” What I love about Rotary is that we are able to touch the lives of others in meaningful ways, in supporting worthy causes, offering volunteer services for special projects, and more. Together as Rotarians, we truly do make a difference.