By the time you are reading this, I will have been a member of the Weyburn Rotary Club for the grand total of six days.
This won't set any records by any means, and being a brand new member, I've got a long, long, long ways to go to accomplish anything, but my hope is that I can make some sort of contribution through the Weyburn club to the community and beyond.
Rotary International has 1.2 million members around the world in 34,000 clubs, and having been founded in 1905, is known as one of the world's first service clubs to be established.
Weyburn's club has a long and storied history in itself, having been a part of the community for 90 years, and many prominent citizens have gone before me as members.
Their involvement here in Weyburn has included being a major sponsor of the Tatagwa Parkway, including the planting of many trees in the park; they are a major sponsor of the annual Music Festival, which runs for three weeks each March, featuring the best in music from Weyburn and area.
They have been (and will continue to be) a major supporter of the Triple C Centre; prior to this, they worked with the Comp for years helping to pay for improvements to the facility there, like air conditioning, and now are supporting the new centre that is currently under construction at the Comp as part of the major renovations and new construction at the high school.
They take part in Meals on Wheels, they sponsor both outgoing and incoming student exchange members (and are currently hosting one, from Spain).
Through fundraising activities throughout the year, they provide funding for many community projects, as well as supporting projects of Rotary International.
One of the most well-known of their international projects is the goal to help eradicate polio from the Earth, and to this end were given a huge boost fund-wise by Bill Gates and his wife, as well as the challenge for Rotary Clubs worldwide to match the gift they have.
Other projects include helping to provide clean water supplies for those who don't have access to clean water where they live.
There is quite a long list of other objectives of Rotary International, and I am sure also there are many other initiatives here in Weyburn I haven't mentioned either; the bottom line is, this is a great organization with a long history of living up to their motto, "Service Above Self".
I am hoping I can in some small way meet up with the high standards of service this club has set in the community, and around the world; it's a very high bar indeed.
