The Regeneration that is Spring
 
When Rotarians gathered to help with the Brookings Marathon in May (thanks to Bruce Lushbaugh and Jim Gilkerson), the trees along the running route were in bloom, the weather was cool and crisp, and we helped guide the way of 550 marathon runners through the beautiful and visually stunning streets amid blue skies and cheering sideliners. Brookings showed itself off in Spring splendor.
 
What made that beautiful morning of May 2021 more than just a running event was the spirit of regeneration. We were outside, mostly without masks, fully vaccinated. It was a convergence of the regeneration of the trees, the flowers… and our lives. You could feel that we were slowly emerging on the other side of COVID.
 
We made it, but more importantly, Rotary helped others make it though. Rotary was the group to call - people would say, “you can always count on Rotary. Let’s see if they can help us build musical instruments in the parks, and paint designs on the Born Learning Trails, and ring the Salvation Army bell. Perhaps Rotary members will collect winter coats again this year, help out at Garden Glow at McCrory, and help stock Jack’s Pantry and the Brookings Food Pantry.” Perhaps Rotary’s most important job this past year was to remind people that spring will come again.
 
And so Spring has arrived with a brand new gift of positivity for us. As I prepare to turn the gavel over to Darla Biel, after a year filled with 41 weeks of Zoom-only meetings, I’m looking at the bright side of a fantastic year ahead!  Let’s enjoy!
 
-President Don