Once again this month I was reminded of why Rotary is such a great organization. As big as Rotary as a whole is, the true spirit of Rotary comes down to each individual club and each individual member of that club. It was once again meaningful this past month when my mother-in-law passed away. There were so many kind words and deeds expressed to myself and my family, that it reinforced the reasons that I'm proud to be part of the Detroit Lakes Noon Rotary.
It also reminded me of the spring of 2007 as our family prepared for my daughters high school graduation party. To make a long story short, my wife Lisa had been down with chronic migraines for some time and we were having a hard time preparing for the party. One night, a group of Rotarians showed up at our house with food and started helping out with yard projects and other household chores. What a welcome surprise and a tribute to the meaning of the 4 Way Test. I know that we will never forget that time and what it meant to our family.
There are many ways that Rotary helps out. Whether it's putting in drinking wells in a far away country or just helping out a fellow member in need, it all makes a difference. Many of you have probably heard the story of the two men walking along an ocean beach where thousands of starfish had washed ashore. One of the men reached down and tossed one of the starfish back into the ocean. The other man asked what difference that made with the thousands of other starfish still washed up on the beach. The first man replied, "It made a difference to that one".
Every good deed that we do makes a difference to someone.