Mary E.Keely displays memorabilia from 168 countries that she collected while completing training to become Rotary district governor.

October 4, 2011

Her term as District Governor for the 28 Rotary Clubs in southern West Virginia, RI District 7550, ended last June 30th, and Mary E. Keely had gained much in friendships and experience in several years of leadership service.

She was inducted into Putnam Rotary nine years ago, and never declined to serve in any capacity.

A consistent "sustaining member" (a regular contributor to Rotary Foundation), she was honored with spouse Robert Keely as Rotarian of the Year in 2005.

That was the year that she and Bob chaired a committee to formulate a strategic plan for the district.

And a year later Mary served as president of Putnam Rotary.

In the meantime, Mary planned the annual district conference in 2006, and, for her organizing know-how, was picked to plan the next conference -- this time for the entire state.

"That's the thanks you get," someone remarked sarcastically.

But Mary never missed a beat.

No sooner had she laid aside the presidential gavel for the local club than she reported to Rotary International headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, for special intensive leadership training sessions.

Mary was tapped four years ago to serve as District Governor in 2010-11.

She attended regional training sessions in Nassau and at Virginia's Homestead Resort, "where the classwork was 24/7," she told Putnam Rotarians today.

There was an international training session for over 500 district governor nominees in San Diego, and the Keelys dutifully attended Rotary International conventions in Montreal and New Orleans.

In the Evanston RI headquarters, Mary Keely "shakes hands" with Paul Harris, Rotary's first President. The life-size bronze statue is near a room which houses items from Harris' office in the former Chicago Unity Building where the first Rotary meeting took place on February 23, 1905.

Memberships range from over 200 to less than a dozen, and she inducted new Rotarians at one club to more than double the active membership.

The Fayetteville club supports the CODA Mountain Academy of Music; the Bluefield club maintains a local park by selling model trains (with a Rotary emblem, of course).

At White Sulphur Springs, the club met in a church and recessed to a gymnasium for lunch. The visiting District Governor was required to sink a hoop on the basketball court before the meal got underway. "I took off my jacket and did it," Mary admitted, "-- on the third try."

At Summersville, Keely met Dr. Miller Milroy, a venerable Rotarian of 74 years standing. At his 92 years of age Milroy has given up driving, but transportation is provided by another Rotarian who is only 84.

During her tour of district leadership, Mary Keely had many helping hands, and special support from her own Putnam Rotary. And perhaps no one was more supporting than her her patient, tolerant, indefatigable chief-of-staff, advisor and husband Bob Keely.

Now, with the three-foot stacks of files and Rotary literature cleared out of the living room at their Red Bud Ranch, Bob is taking his own leadership turn as president of Putnam Rotary.

And, Mary? She's taking a breather as Bob's chief-of-staff while she devotes much of her attention to a new grandson.