At last Monday’s meeting, Doreen Harr provided a colorful description of how she investigates violations of environmental standards. She and her staff of 8 have a very broad mission that calls for protecting the state’s environment from a long list of potentially damaging acts. She brought unique perspectives about mother nature and human nature, having seen it from many sides, beginning with her first job, as an intern at the Dauphin County morgue, to her current role as Chief Investigator for the Department of Environmental Protection, where she enforces State's standards to keep Pennsylvania pristine.
She had tales to tell, reflecting the dark, or at least the gray, side of human nature, and how it can sometimes spill over into mother nature. Fortunately for her, the glass is half full, so we should all breathe more freely knowing she is on duty with an optimistic message: enjoy the pure water, with one grateful caveat: know the rules and follow them, and if you see something, say something--to her.
We can now take our self-diminished carbon footprint and hear from another regulator of human behavior, the Gaming Commission, at this Monday’s meeting.
As to the main event for everyone during this month of thinking about membership, the President of Rotary International has sent us a video about Rotary's critical role in the eradication of polio. Kirk has already prepositioned it for Polio Day in October.
In the meantime, use that compelling polio story, which we all know well, in your recruiting spiel to potential members: On the global level, we are killing polio! in addition, our Club is assisting with Healthy Babies in Nigeria, and with Healthy Families in Ecuador, and more to follow. Locally, we are assisting close to 30 organizations from the Ronald McDonald House to the Food Bank and CocoaPaks, to other deserving organizations in the far reaches of our community (most recently the River Runners). And, remember the far reaches is where the RI President told us to look for new prospects to join our Club. That is why you are serving on the Membership Committee during this month--to determine who from your unique associations might be interested in joining the largest civic organization in the world, but one that is grounded with a rock solid local and personal base.
Think about someone within your 'reach' and share that name with Pam, our Membership UberChair. She just completed the vetting of our newest member, Jim Gainer, to be inducted on the 19th. Remember we are looking for someone just like you--and only you know where he or she is hanging out. You might be surprised. Some of our most dynamic members today joined the Club as a result of a new member competition a few years ago. I didn't know if they would really join, but now we can't get through the day without relying on them to do things essential to the functioning of the Club!
So, enable someone to be surprised at their ability to do service above self!
Best wishes,
Paul Thompson