Why I Joined Rotary by Jim Campbell

My first awareness of Rotary was a long time ago, in the early 1950’s.  My father, a manager for Husky Oil, was a member of the Lloydminster Rotary Club that met weekly for lunch in the banquet room of the Royal Café - on the Saskatchewan side of the border.   In those days Lloydminster had “paved streets and sidewalks” on the Alberta side and “health care” on the Saskatchewan side.

I remember that my father was not much of a joiner but Rotary appealed to him because of its high ethical standards, opportunity to make business contacts, and participate in community service.  His Club got a motorized wheelchair for a person with disabilities.  This was no small thing in the 1950s.  Motorized wheelchairs were not available in the market so one had to be specially built.  The Lloydminster Club got together with the Husky engineers and welders to modify a stationary wheelchair.  The end product had a small motor that allowed its owner to travel around Lloydminster and helped him get a job at the local service station.  I remember there was lot of pride in the completion of that project.

That memory and my subsequent awareness of Rotary in the community left me with the impression that Rotary was a local service group that helped build programs for parks, schools, and helped people with disabilities. That foundation of community spirit for my father later led to organizing a group of small oil companies to build a hot mix plant in the Watts district of Los Angeles after the big riot in the mid 1960’s. That plant that still operates today provided immediate employment and relief to a very distressed and damaged community.

Like my father I have not been much of a joiner, but in 2007 when my wife Judi  joined Sunrise, she spoke highly of the good qualities of both the organization and Sunrise members. I was invited to attend a meeting and began to learn what Rotary and Rotary International were all about. I learned the “four way test” and the Objects of Rotary. I was reminded of many of the conversations I had with my father about working and doing good work for the community. What I also saw were the very impressive international projects and good works undertaken both locally and internationally.  

I was hooked and didn’t hesitate when I was asked to join in 2008.  I want to both participate and lead where I can. What I have seen both in my work and through Rotary is that one person can make a difference, but it takes a team to really make things happen. I am very proud to be a member of the Rotary team.