As I prepare for my last meeting as your club president, I can’t help but reflect on the incredible journey of the past two years! It has been a wild ride, and I have cherished (almost) every moment.

Thinking back to my first year, I vividly remember the overwhelming feeling as I worked on my homework for PETS (President-Elect Training Seminar). After meeting with Doug to clarify some assignments, I thought, “Please don’t let me lead the club to failure. I don’t want to let them down.” While it sometimes felt like we might struggle, we never failed. Yes, we faced challenges: we lost a few members, paused our Ladies Night Out, and had tough conversations about budgets and goals.

On the flip side, we gained valuable new members and achieved milestones that truly reflect our efforts. We hosted our most successful Daddy Daughter Dance, improved club communication, welcomed NINE new Paul Harris Fellows, relaunched the Chili Cook Off as a PolioPlus fundraiser, and secured a monthly radio spot to promote our club. Plus, we've built scholarships, friendships, and leadership opportunities—truly all the ships! Growth may come with its growing pains, but I choose to focus on our many accomplishments over the past two years.

Some of you have attributed these successes to me, but the truth is, this growth has been a collective effort. You placed your faith in me when I struggled to trust myself. You embraced my ideas and ventured into the unknown. Because of your openness and collaboration, we’ve grown closer as a club, and I am incredibly proud of all we've achieved together!

To celebrate our accomplishments, I'll be presenting some fun awards at our meeting this Tuesday, June 24th. Join us for the first annual club awards for Positive Image, Unsung Hero, Spark Plug, and Rotarian of the Year.

Also, let’s remember that Junction Days is just around the corner! We will host the Pancake Man again, so please sign up to help with setup and serving. Don’t forget about the Food Booth at the County Fair next month. Serving there allows us to use the fair building free of charge for the Daddy Daughter Dance. We need everyone's support on July 17th, even if you can only commit to one shift.

Thank you all for an incredible journey!

 

Emily H. Martin

President, Red Oak Rotary

 

P.S. - Don't forget to turn in any Duck tickets and Duck ticket money on Tuesday. Annual dues are also due at this time - if you need another invoice sent out, please let me know.