Pledge to Give Back to the World

I recently had the pleasure of ringing the Salvation Army bell with two of my fellow Rotarians from Port Clinton. Jeff and Bill (dressed as you know who) freely give their time, talents, and fortunes to help others. As the President-Elect of the Port Clinton (Ohio) Rotary Club, I am continuing my quest to put “Service Above Self”, our Rotary credo.

As a retired military officer, I gave my time and talents to serve my country (no one gets rich in the military). I was a jet med-evac pilot for the Cleveland Clinic’s organ transplant program and have travelled far into the mountains of Guatemala three times to help provide medical care to Mayan Indian villages. I help raise funds for animal sanctuaries and other not-for-profit organizations. It seems to be in my nature to help others.

It is through Rotary International that I believe my energies are best being used. We are on a mission to eradicate Polio from the face of the Earth and work to provide clean water to remote areas of the world. Locally, we raise funds for numerous agencies that provide assistance to needy families. We do this through fundraisers that require a few days of self-sacrifice that are infused with good will and lots of fun. We meet once a week to plan our activities and are always seeking new members to “give back” to others less fortunate.

I urge each of you to join a local Rotary Club or other service organization to help make a difference both locally and world-wide. The smiles and self-satisfaction you will get back will be the best experiences in your life.