Year in Review
Thank you for letting me serve as the president of the Brookings Rotary Club this past year, it was a great honor. I wanted to take this time to reflect on how our Brookings Rotary Club faired in 2022-23 and some things to look forward in 2023-24.
The Ukrainian dinner and fundraiser, Hope and Healing, was a huge success. A total of $50,000 was raised and sent to our partner club in Romania to help support refugees affected by the war which has been raging for over 15 months now. In addition to the funds raised all that attended the event have a better knowledge and understanding of Ukraine, Ukrainian food, the war, and its impact on everyday citizens. Thanks to all those Rotarians who went above and beyond and made it a memorable evening.
Many thanks to Kay Norton who never gave up and made the Safe Talk Suicide Awareness/Prevention Grant Project at the Brookings School District a reality. She tried and tried and tried to find an appropriate partner for this workshop and after many setbacks and roadblocks she found a very fitting partner.
In addition to these two major events, we as a club continued to show support to Brookings County via scholarships, service projects, social activities (thanks you to Michael and now Steve for their efforts in keeping Thirsty Thursday going) and by simply attending weekly meetings and thus supporting our great speakers.
Unfortunately, club membership continues to be an issue, and in that area, I can claim no success other that it seems the bleeding of membership which began during the Covid -19 lock down of 2020 seems to have finally stopped in 2023. We have added several great, and from what I can tell active, new members as of late. Many thanks to those members who invited guests and are advocates for Rotary. Please continue to bring guests, it is clearly the best way to expose them to Rotary.
The best news of all is that the club will be in good hands going forward under the leadership of your soon to be installed Club President, Dr. Michael Gonda. Michael has demonstrated his commitment to Rotary as well as his competency through his efforts as your club’s service chairman in recent years. Not only finding opportunities for our club to serve others, but by being the first person to roll up his sleeves and get the job done!
Again, thanks for giving me this opportunity and please continue to give Michael Gonda the same support and respect you showed me this past year.
Erich Olson