Mike Herron Bob Keely: "Rotarian of the Year"; Mary Keely: "President's Citation" Chet Marshall: "Rotarian at Work"

June 15, 2010

Amid a chorus of good-natured laughter and cat-calls, Mike Herron picked up the presidential gavel for Putnam Rotary in 2010-11.

"I'm going to wield some power up here," he announced to guffaws and applause.

"I want to visit with other clubs, and invite some of their presidents to come in and tell us how they do things.

"For instance, if your picture is in the paper and you're not wearing your club pin -- you get fined! If your picture is in the paper, and your pin is on there -- everyone in the club gets fined.

"Sam Sentelle, Glen Clark and Christina McComas did not attend the District Conference --"

"But they all had excuses," someone protested.

"One dollar fine," said Herron as he struck the podium with his gavel.

"Greg Eiler, Melissa Pratt, had cell phones ring during the meeting. A dollar fine -- unless it is a call from God, or if it's God's business -- then, fifty cents!" (Pratt is a minister.)

David Williams spoke up, "Does anyone know that you get this from a family background? That your dad was a sheriff, a tax collector?'

The new president responded, "Do you remember when Brad Crouser was here, talking about his biography of Arch Moore? On page 433, David Williams was named Deputy Commissioner of Motor Vehicles. You were named in that book. No mention of Rotary! One dollar fine!"

"I'm going to lead from the front, to lead by example," said Herron, who is President of Advantage Valley. "There's no point in rebuilding the Rotary wheel, but we can become better at what we do," he said.

"Mike is already leading by example," said Chet Marshall. "I'm going to watch my Ps and Qs, because I've only got so much money."

In a more somber vein, Herron noted that Putnam Rotary was a county club -- a unique designation since most local clubs are affiliated with cities. "If we were the Teays Valley Road Club, or the Hurricane Club, it would be easier for us to focus on community service projects. But we are Putnam County Rotary," he said. "We need to make certain that we reach all corners of Putnam County."

"It's incumbent on all of us," he added, "to look to, and identify, and recruit the leaders in this community and to bring them in.

"You get out of a club what you put into it," he continued. While members enjoy the fellowship of weekly luncheon meetings, the real payoff comes in direct involvement in community service. "There are many of us that I only see once a week, and that's at our luncheon meetings.

"It's my goal that people will cheerfully volunteer for the various service projects that we undertake," he told the group.

The new president expected to see "a real esprit de corps with this group; that [participation in club projects] won't be be looked at as an obligation or a responsibility or something else to fit into your schedule, but as an opportunity for us to get together in fellowship and service."

As Mary Keely, District Governor for the coming year, administered the oath of office to Herron, other officers took their respective places as well: Bob Keely as President-Elect, Christina McComas as President Nominee, Glen Clark as Secretary, Merilyn Pemberton as Treasurer, Chet Marshall as Past President, and members of the Board of Directors -- Glenn Gibbs, Bonnie Prisk, Cheryl Rust and Sam Sentelle. Dianna Casto, who was absent, will also serve on the Board.

Retiring President Chet Marshall was recognized for service with presents, including a "Rotarian at Work" shirt, and he in turn recognized Bob Keely as "Rotarian of the Year," and Mary Keely as recipient of a "Presidential Citation."