The beautiful leaves of fall have been falling meaning that it’s harvest time. I don’t know what makes me plant way too many seeds in the spring to end up with more zucchini than is even usable. I give a lot of it away, but every year I can’t seem to remember that two zucchini plants are plenty! I even gave plants away in the spring and I still have way too much.Is that a metaphor for Rotary? Could be, I guess. Giving Rotary away surely could provide a new and better crop of Rotarians. If I had that magic seed, you can bet I’d plant more than I could count or even get to know. Wouldn’t that be something?
But, wait a minute….I do have that seed, and so do you! Sometimes we can only plant it, but sometimes we are given the opportunity to water it with care, nurture it with information, and watch it bloom in our clubs. Of course, as with most new plants, we need to be sure we give it lots of love and attention so it can grow!
Yes, that seed is a metaphor for new members, new Rotarians. I had the opportunity to plant that seed just last week while getting a rock chip in my windshield fixed. When they were driving the car around, I found myself standing outside the garage with a young man. As we talked, I said to him, “You should come to Rotary with me. We meet in about ½ hour right here in town. I’ll buy your lunch!” He was quiet for a minute and then said, “I wish I could. You see, this is my business, and I am here all the time. I only have one employee so it would be very difficult for me to take time away leaving her here alone. I would like to know more about Rotary but I have no time.” I thought about his words for a few minutes – I could tell he was serious – so I mentioned that our club was thinking about forming an evening Satellite club that might fit his schedule and asked if he might be interested in that. He thought, for barely a minute, and said quietly,”I would like that.”
I don’t know what the future will bring for that young businessman, but he knows Rotary isn’t just waiting for him; we are working to make it a possibility for him to become a Rotarian.
I told my club members this story at our meeting that day and, hopefully, planted another seed. Let’s all be sure to keep our eyes and ears open to meet, invite, and accommodate our young businessmen and women, our commuters, and others who can’t possibly meet at noon or whenever your club currently meets.
Kathy Buck, 2025-26 District 5400 Governor