Brittany Reichel and her grandfather, David Gott, share a passion for Rotary that spans generations.
When David Gott joined Rotary in Sunnyvale, California, in 1992, the same year his granddaughter Brittany Reichel was born, he had no idea how much the organization would shape both their lives.
David's Rotary journey took off when his family hosted a Japanese exchange student for two years. “I really got an understanding about what Rotary was about and the worldwide implications,” he recalls. “It was eye-opening.”
After moving to Boise in 1999, David joined Boise Metro Rotary. He was so committed that he maintained perfect attendance for years, even planning RV trips around Rotary meetings.
Brittany was often along for the ride. Homeschooled in fourth grade, she traveled with her grandpa along the Oregon Trail and Alaska Highway, attending Rotary meetings along the way.
“I became an inspired 9-year-old,” she remembers. “What are we going to do to change the world, Grandpa?”
In high school, Boise Metro sponsored Brittany to attend Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), an experience that deepened her commitment to service.
“RYLA gave me the opportunity to explore what being a leader would look like,” she says. “It helped me broaden my empathy. You really never know what people are going through.”
Her Rotary journey continued through Rotaract and eventually Boise East Rotary, which she joined in 2022. Today, at 33, Brittany is serving as club president, something she hadn't anticipated.
“I was surprised when my club nominated me,” she says. “They liked my go-go-go personality!”
Attending the Rotary International Convention in Calgary reinforced her enthusiasm. “Rotary is so much more than one club, one area or even one country.”
Brittany hopes to make Rotary more accessible to younger generations, particularly people who want to serve but may not see themselves in traditional service organizations.
“People need to see us out there doing things,” she says. She believes clubs can attract younger members by connecting membership dues directly to meaningful service experiences.
David, now 77, remains an enthusiastic supporter of his granddaughter's Rotary leadership, although he jokes, “Her involvement has cost me a lot in happy dollars!”
For Brittany and David, Rotary is more than a service organization. It's a shared family tradition—and a commitment to making the world better, one generation at a time.