A remarkable milestone will be celebrated this coming weekend, as the Weyburn Rotary Club gathers with members of the community to celebrate their 90th anniversary.Since the club was formally chartered on April 1, 1920, the club has lived up to their motto of Service Above Self, and have made quite a positive and long-lasting impression on the community, starting by helping with the grand opening of the Weyburn Mental Hospital in 1920, and in 1921 helping to pay for the treatment of tonsils and decayed teeth for children whose parents were unable to pay for the treatments.Down through the decades, the Rotary Club has provided funds and volunteer manpower for many, many projects both at the local and international level, all with a view of helping out others, or providing a service or benefit for others.To be sure, the Rotary are not alone in this endeavour, as they are assisted by the Inner Wheel, not to mention the good work and support of many, many other service clubs and organizations, from the Young Fellows to the Lions to the Kin Club, to the Quota Club and Rebekahs, and many many others too numerous to list. The grand total, the sum of all their efforts and volunteerism, is a better community, a city that has a high standard of living and is a great place to raise families, or in which to retire and enjoy ones sunset years with friends and family around.Each of these worthy organizations receive recognition at various times, such as when they make a significant contribution to a group or cause in the community; this week, its the turn for Rotary to receive their due, and to be recognized for all that they have done for the people of Weyburn, for the benefit of the community as a whole, over the last 90 years.Think of how much poorer we would be as a community if there was no annual Music Festival each March, if Meals on Wheels had to be stopped due to a lack of volunteers, or if the Tatagwa Parkway struggled to get anything done due to a lack of interest or support.
Then, think of all the young people of the community who have benefitted from leadership conferences, or from the one-year international student exchanges, in which Weyburn students have gone out, and the community has received in turn students from around the world, which has enriched our community and the families they stayed with.Even in their celebration, the Rotary is donating the proceeds to the Weyburn Hospital Foundation, which will go towards a new acute-care hospital for Weyburn and area.If you meet up with a Rotarian, thank them for what the club has done and what they continue to do in our community and for worthy causes abroad. Truly with their motto, Service Above Self, they have set a worthy example for all of us to follow.
