PROGRESS: Rotary strengthens communities through service

1.2 million people scattered around the world can’t be wrong. Rotary is the organization to make a difference in your life, your community and the world.

The four Rotary clubs – as well as the two high school Interact clubs – in our area strive to make a difference. Each club serves in its own way and members will be quick to tell you there is always a need for Rotary and Rotarians.

The four clubs here consist of: Sandpoint, Ponderay, Bonners Ferry and Newport-Priest River. There are two high school Interact clubs – one at Sandpoint High School and another at Forrest Bird Charter School.

Each of these clubs have gained members in the past year and they are all finding more projects.

The Rotary motto — “Service above self” rings true.

Meeting times, locations:

• Sandpoint Rotary — Wednesdays, 12 p.m., Columbia Bank Building, Marigold Cafe.

• Bonners Ferry Rotary — Tuesdays, 12 p.m., Kootenai River Inn.

• Newport/Priest River Rotary — Wednesdays at 8 a.m., Rotary Park in Oldtown.

• Ponderay Rotary — First three Tuesdays at 7:15 a.m., Columbia Bank Building, Marigold Cafe.

Leadership:

• Sandpoint current president: Chris Chambers; president on July 1, Amy Bean.

• Bonners Ferry current president and next president, Sandy Johnstone.

• Newport/Priest River past president, Elizabeth Glazier, and current president, Angelina Schmeltzer.

• Ponderay current president: Carol Curtis; president on July 1, Ryan Wells.

In Sandpoint, the 110-member club that just turned 60 years old mostly focuses on education and youth.

The club’s CHAFE 150 bike ride has raised more than $1.2 million for local education and even more than that for scholarships, teen leadership courses and numerous other causes.

This year the club will generate funds for a school district initiative called: Every student graduates a reader. In the past, the club has funded The Book Trust as well as initiatives such as focusing on students on the autism spectrum.

The ride has been named one of the most scenic and best supported charity bike rides in the nation.

In Ponderay, the 20-member club is famous for its flower baskets and scholarship support.

Many times the club has made scholarship funds available for students all through college. This club also encourages students interested in the trades — not necessarily four-year degrees but they provide money for those as well.

This club has earned the reputation of punching above its weight while doing more than almost any club its size.

In Bonners Ferry, this club of 55 members fills many needs, many of which they inherited. It continues to be the fastest growing club in the District. Bonners Ferry Rotary has been meeting at Mugsy’s since its inception more than 20 years ago. It has now outgrown the friendly confines and  started meeting at the Kootenai River Inn last year.

The Bonners Ferry Rotarians continue to take the lead in this community by establishing new events or taking over other projects. The annual CommUNITY breakfast, held the first week of May, helps support scholarships.  The club also oversees Rotary Park, the Easter Egg Hunt, the Fourth of July and numerous other activities.

The Priest River-Newport Rotary club started to lose members and momentum a few years ago and then Elizabeth Glazier started attending meetings. She was instantly pulled into leadership and suddenly she was the interim president and has been president for almost two years. She recently stepped down to pursue an personal finance career. In the wings, a recent member – Angelina Schmeltzer – stepped in.

Angelina has worked with Elizabeth and finds herself in awe of what Elizabeth accomplished but she also isn’t afraid to add her passion and vision to this great club.

Priest River – Newport Rotary is intensely focused on youth and education. They sponsor students of the month, offer scholarships to teachers and find ways to make a difference.

The membership was hovering around seven or eight when Elizabeth first joined and now it is approaching 20.

The secret? Find a need and address it.

Soon, students of the month were being recognized, teachers were getting scholarships to enhance their classroom and the club even raised money to build a new outdoor basketball court.

Recently Sandpoint Rotary was named the best large club in District 5080. Ponderay was named the best small club. Last year, Priest River-Newport took top honors.

There are 60 clubs in the district that begins in Nakusp and Golden Valley in British Columbia to the north and runs south to Orofino, east to Wallace and west to Colville. The district has added three clubs this year and membership has increased by 200 – the most growth in 20 years.

Rotary will continue to make a difference in each community by attracting members who want to belong to something bigger than themselves.

Studies show that loneliness and depression are real issues in our society. Volunteerism and making a difference in groups like Rotary can be a cure.

A person can Google Rotary to find out what the largest service organizations in world is doing.

Trying to eradicate polio? Sending and receiving exchange students all over the world? Providing mentoring opportunities for young professionals? Giving an opportunity to do more than you could ever do on your own?

All this and more can be found in Rotary.

Come check us out and attend a meeting.

For more information, contact membership chair Bob Gumerman at robertgumerman@ gmail. com.

David Keyes is the district governor for District 5080, Rotary International. He is a past president of the Sandpoint Rotary Club.