Bob Keely

June 3, 2008

The angst was palpable today as Bob Keely began speaking to Putnam Rotarians during their noon luncheon at Wellington's.

We're going to have a test!" said Keely. "Print your name at the top of the page -- and make sure you spell it correctly!

"Just what is the purpose of Rotary?" he queried. "Why do we have Rotary? What is our motto?"

And after an uneasy pause, a couple of voices from the audience replied, "Service Above Self?"

"Right!" said Keely.

Rotary offers fiendship and fellowship at its weekly lunchgeon meetings. There is informal information exchange within the group and from featured speakers. But the mainstay of Rotary is service.

"There are four avenues of service," he told the group. "Club, vocational, community and international service.

"What is club service? It's stepping up as an officer, serving as a director, chairing a committee."

Keely mentioned district offices that have been taken by several members of the local club. He, himself, developed the first strategic plan for the district, and wife, Mary, in line to be district governor, headed planning for two district conferences.

Keely explained vocational service as a program of continuing professional collaboration. Programs both within and through outside visitors keep members informed of changes and prospects in business and government services. Rotarians serve on the Development Authority, the County Commission, the Board of Education. Rotarians provide leadership with the Chamber of Commerce and Advantage Valley.

Community service inincludes activity in multiple projects from Salvation Army Christmas kettle tending to adult literacy. Recent grants include support of an area fire school for volunteer fire departments, and twenty-two courtesy benches placed in public places throughout the county.

The international projects include hosting the Group Study Exchange teams. In recent years Putnam has hosted teams from Australia, Japan and Great Brittain. The Rptary District for southern West Virginia will host a team from France next year.

The Putnam club is participating in the Ghana clean water project and an economic assistance program for Nepal.

A residential orphanage and school in Uganda has also been the target for assistance by the Putnam Club.

The once-a-week luncheon meetings are informative and instructive. But the greatest benefits of Rotary participation comes through the opportunities the world we live in through "service above self."

Keely instructed the group to list special talents and ways of putting their talents to use.

"How about the tests?" someone asked, holding up a paper.

"Take them home," said Keely. "Think about what you can do and what you want to do through Rotary.

"Think about how you can give service above self."

In recent years, many of the activities supported by the Putnam Club have been completed with "matching funds," from other clubs, from the district and from Rotary International. In this way local initiatives may be multiplied many times.