President’s Message for week of July 12, 2020 

Dear Fellow Rotarians, 

It seems comic now, yet last night I was desperately seeking a missing 1099-misc form. One small piece of paper. I went spelunking in my file cabinet and excavating through the drawers of my desk. Yes, what was misplaced has been found. Phew! And, as a boon, I found an artifact from Thursday, June 12, 2008. It is a one-page script I used during a new member induction ceremony. The late Bob Bisbing had asked me to tell our newest members what I liked about Rotary. Here’s what I said: 

Thank you to all of you who have welcomed me into Emmaus Rotary. I was inducted just this March and now I’m supposed to tell you what I like about Rotary. So-- 

Three things. First, The Friendship. I don’t know about you, but each June when school let out for the summer, I couldn’t wait to build a treehouse or remove the latticework under the front porch so that our neighborhood “club” could meet. I like hanging out with like-minded people. That makes me pretty normal, I think. Rotary Friendships begin in the weekly meetings and grow as you take part in extra activities like work crews, fundraisers, committee meetings, and social events with good food. 

Three things. Second, I LOVE HAPPY DOLLARS. You can ask my sponsor, Wayne (Matthias-Long). After my firsts meeting, I told him I wish I’d invented “happy dollars” to use each and every Sunday at Church. I look forward to Happy Dollars. I like hearing about a child’s first steps, a grandchild born, a trip taken.... Happy Dollars grow the Treasury. Happy Dollars grow the Friendship. 

Three things. Third, call me an idealist. It’s the Rotary ideal of “Service over Self” that pulls me forward. We’re not here for just ourselves, we’re here also for our community and for our world. It would be hard to exaggerate how impressed I am by Rotary International’s goal to stamp out polio, or by our district’s international exchanges, or by our club’s support of students by providing leadership development opportunities like Camp Neidig and by awarding scholarships. 

Hey, I’m just a newbie... But more and more I see how Rotary makes a real difference. 

Thank you all for listening. 

Then I turned to welcome that morning’s new Rotarians. 

Last Thursday, we welcomed and inducted Jean Onyambu and Kevin Basara, both sponsored by Nelly Kabiru, into Emmaus Rotary. Please take a moment to introduce yourself, get to know them a little more and -- hey, what do you like about Rotary? Let them know. 

Yours in service and fellowship, 

Lexa Shallcross Emmaus Rotary President 2020-2021