This is all Barbara’s fault!

This is all Barbara’s fault!

We moved to Cartersville in 2004. That’s when I met one of my dear friends Barbara. She and I have been running together for almost 10 years. Every Tuesday she would start earlier, most of the time without me. 5:30am was already WAY earlier than I wanted to be up, but she had to get to Rotary by 7:30am.

Let’s face it, when anyone mentions Rotary the first thing that comes to mind is a bunch of stuffy old business men, in starched suits, sitting around listening to a monotone speaker and discussing all the rigid rules of Rotary. And heaven help you if you missed a meeting! I was convinced there was a secret Rotary dungeon where they would tie you to a post and beat you if you were unable to attend.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

The top reasons people join Rotary are…

1. Business Development (This should be last, in my opinion.)
2. Friendship
3. Citizenship
4. Service

I was a hospice nurse working sometimes 60 hours a week when I broke down and attended my first meeting. It seemed like the thing to do, and if Barb was a part of it…surely it couldn’t be all that bad. Not only was it not that bad, it was life changing.

I hate stereotypes, so let me dispel a few myths.

1. No stuffy old men. My club’s members range in age from 20s to 60s.

2. You are not required to wear a starched suit. In fact, you can actually wear jeans. I frequently show up in scrubs when I’m seeing patients.

3. No monotone speakers. Members rotate bringing speakers. Not only are they not dull, they are informative, interesting and entertaining. We even had a hypnotist speak to us not long ago.

4. There are rules. There always are. But the 4 Way Pledge of the things we think, say or do is more like the golden rule and very simple: Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build good will and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned? Trust me, if everyone lived by these rules, the world would be a much better place!

5. There are no dungeons. In fact you CAN miss a meeting. All you have to do is make it up by attending another Rotary club, reading informative articles online or performing service activities. I figure 2 weeks in Bangladesh gives me make-ups for life!

So here I am 2 years later, proud to call myself a Rotarian. I give my time to Rotary. I sit on the Board. I show up (most) Tuesdays. I attend the functions. I spontaneously volunteer to go on a 2 week medical mission trip to Bangladesh. Why, you ask?

1. I have established the most incredible friendships that will last a lifetime. My friends are precious to me, and I don’t know what I would do without them.

2. Rotary has given me the chance to become a participating member of my community.

3. Now I truly have the opportunity to “fix things” on a local, state, national and WORLD level!

4. Without the support, help and advice of many members I would have never had the guts to go out on a limb and start my own patient advocacy business.

The simple truth is this: Rotary, and the amazing people in Rotary, give me far more than I could ever give back.

So this is clearly all Barbara’s fault! I can’t thank her enough. And in the next few weeks, I CAN NOT WAIT to see how Rotary will continue to change my life.