Our meeting this week closes out August, sponsored by Rotary International as New Membership and Engagement Month. We had a great month with many visitors to our great programs and several expressing interest in Rotary and our club. As you probably noticed, engagement was a big theme for me during August. As I pointed out several times, we join Rotary for friendships and the opportunity to make an impact locally and in the world around us. That is the foundation of engagement in Rotary. It is up to all of us to reach out to our new Rotarian colleagues to make sure they face as few barriers as possible as they become involved in our club.

This month we heard how Shelterbox, sponsored by Rotary International, and funded by our contributions, makes an impact worldwide. We heard from a national authority about our economy, its current health, and what to watch. We heard how the Union Gospel Mission helps those in need locally and ways we can help. I know that I was inspired last week hearing from Aiden Bahr, the second of three young adults we sponsored to RYLA, how Salem Rotary fits in with Dale Penn’s career, and how the concept and culture of Rotary shaped Vanessa Nordyke’s career. Aiden, Dale and Vanessa, through their stories, clearly demonstrated this year’s Rotary theme, Be the Inspiration.

We close August tomorrow with a science/nature program of cutting edge technology emerging right here in the Willamette valley. I hope you will join us, take a moment seek a new face, and say hi.