By Bill Grile President, Rotary Club of Coos Bay-North Bend

In February 1905, a Chicago lawyer named Paul Harris invited three friends to a meeting. His idea was to create a club that would build friendships among business leaders in the community. The four didn't decide that day to call themselves the Rotary Club -- that would come later -- but their meeting was, in fact, the beginning of a service organization that has grown since then to over 1.2 million Rotarians, belonging to over 29,000 Rotary Clubs in 163 countries. Because Harris and the original Chicago business friends rotated their weekly meetings among the members' business locations, the group came to called the "Rotary Club."

In February 1922, twenty-two business leaders from Marshfield (later to become Coos Bay) and North Bend gathered to discuss the benefits of forming a Rotary Club in the Bay Area. These included Ben Chandler, Vern Gorst, W.J. Conrad, L.J. Simpson, I.R. Tower, Albert Kohler, A.J. Powers and others prominent in the early success of our area. The Rotary Club of Coos Bay - North Bend was established and along with it the beginning of a history of service to this community and to the far corners of the earth. This year the 170 dedicated members of the Coos Bay - North Bend Rotary Club are carrying on the proud tradition of Service Above Self by actively pursuing projects and activities in four different "avenues," these being Club Service, Community Service, International Service and Vocational Service. The Club is guided by a quality board that includes President-elect Debby Roth, Vice President Doug Fletcher, and directors Karleen Burgett, Nancy Counts, Mike Gillespie, Jane Hatfield, Chuck Holloway, Ed Troyer and Dick McMahon. Fred Klass does a grand job as club secretary. But as this year's president, I know, as do those before me in this office, that the real credit for the club's success rightfully belongs to the working members who generously give of their time, energies and financial resources to accomplish our annual goals. Club Service programs include the annual spring auction and air fair -- two great events and community celebrations. Club members look forward to these and are pleased to offer them to the community. The annual spring auction is always a gala event that promises an enjoyable evening of fun and fellowship. Mark your calendars and plan on attending this year's auction on April 21 at the North Bend Community Center. Great food, great fun and great bargains. Tickets go on sale soon. The auction is the Club's main fundraiser. Look for still an other great air fair this fall. The air fair committee is already busy planning another super program with a new idea or two to make this year's show a great family experience. Community Service activities include support for the Holiday Lights at Shore Acres, student scholarship awards to deserving Marshfield and North Bend graduating seniors, mentoring and support for youth as well as senior activities, and health and social awareness programs. There are also a few community development projects to be undertaken, including a landscaping project planned at the new Boys & Girls Club. But the most important Community Service project is also the Club's number one priority for the year. This is support for the methamphetamine awareness project kicked off on January 25 with the community forum held at Coos Bay City Hall. It featured knowledgeable local experts moderated by Rotarian Greg Stevens, publisher of The World newspaper. Call 751-7648 to learn more about ways to get involved and rid our community of methamphetamine and attendant drug problems. International Service is in many respects the glue that binds us together as members of Rotary International. Under the energetic leadership of Kathy Rosencrantz, the Club's world community service committee is undertaking projects that are making a significant difference in the lives of less fortunates living in Mexico, Honduras, Ecuador and Russia. Several Club members continue to travel abroad delivering skilled services, technical advice and goodwill to our fellow man. Dr. Tom McAndrews' recent trip to Kamchatka, Russia was featured at a January club meeting, reinforcing the importance of work that is being accomplished worldwide thanks to the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.

The club is pleased to be supporting two Rotary District 5110 Group Study Exchanges, including a team spending a month in Sri Lanka this month that includes Coos Bay Police Officer Dan O'Laughlin and local BLM civil engineer Angela Reinhold. The Rotary Youth Exchange program gives the Club great pleasure and satisfaction each year. This year, the Club is sponsoring former Marshfield student Tracy Fisher who is spending the year in Ecuador, and incoming student Nicole Pfeiffer from Germany.

Vocational Service rounds out the Club's programs, with the Club sending three students to the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy next summer for a week of skills development and teambuilding in store for the deserving students selected for the experience.

The obligation each member assumes when becoming a member of the Coos Bay - North Bend Rotary Club is to commit time, energy and resources to the advancement of Rotary's mission, providing humanitarian service to our community and the less fortunates far beyond our backyards, encouraging high ethical standards in all vocations, and helping build goodwill and peace throughout the world. The contributions of so many of our members are worthy of public recognition. I only regret the space limitations prohibited here.

If you are a business or community leader and looking to make a meaningful difference -- here, and in our world -- and not involved with any other service club, the Rotary International just might be right for you. Interested in learning more? Let us hear from you!