Theme: Rotary Opens Opportunities
I am grateful for:
Our Board of Directors and Committees. They are creative. We are a club that gets things done-and we did!
We have 9 new members in this Rotary year-joining during COVID.
Community service projects, students of the month, amazing programs every week, firesides-via zoom of course, international service grants, and our small grants. Much of our work looked different, but we continue to make things happen for our community. Congratulations to you all!
Our big fundraising event and large grant funding. Stay tuned for updates.
Chane Griggs for jumping in mid-year as PE, and David Deckelmann as PEN.
Our board flexing so many zoom meetings!
Salem Rotary Foundation continuing their important work alongside the Club.
Barry, Ken & the Amphitheater task force! This will be a spectacular facility for our community and a true honor to Gerry Frank, who means so much to many of us.
Jessica and Pam who ensured I had my act together every week.
One of my biggest hesitations of being President was that I’d have to miss our meetings once month. Every past president I spoke to while I was considering this position told me-we’re here to make you successful-and they did just that! To all the past presidents who helped me by chairing a meeting in my once-a-month absence-Rus, Tom, Dawn, Tammy, John, Bruce, Ron, Ellen, Larry and his grandson.
Professionally, this has been the most enriching, challenging, growth-filled year. I couldn’t even fathom what I was in for. With COVID flipping my organization’s business model upside down into how we could safely serve youth as well as how we generate revenue to provide those vital services, to advocating on behalf of other Oregon Boys and Girls Clubs at the capital, to launching our Epping Homestead campaign and build, some days I don’t know which way is up.
I’m grateful for all of you for the grace you’ve given me over this last year. Board meeting nights I was frequently coming ‘in hot’ from another meeting and regularly had tech issues. Folks would freeze on my screen so I didn’t know who had their hands raised to speak. Chane quickly became my ZOOM eyes.
On an especially challenging workday I forgot the pledge of Allegiance halfway thru-and a little voice (think Marilyn) gave me the gift of ‘and to the republic…’
When I watched the recording of Dawn’s meeting when she said ‘now I know why Sue is always looking down during the meeting-she’s tracking in chat!’
So, it’s been a privilege and honor to serve you all-thank you!
