Mood:  happy

I love being involved with Evevett Rotary.   Since joining the club 7-8 years ago, I have made many friends, and have felt that, through Rotary, I have been able to make a difference to my community and to the betterment of the world.  That is why I intended to visit Rotary clubs as I bicycled across America.  I even packed two small club banners to exchange with the president of whatever club I was visiting.

Once my itinerary was put together, I researched the Rotary clubs in the towns where I would be staying, and wrote the time, day of the week, and location of each Rotary club.  I then emailed the presidents to make sure that they would not be offended if I appeared in less than business attire (translate that as being in bicycle clothing).  As luck would have it, since the odds were one in seven that I would be in a town when a meeting was occuring, the only meeting that I was able to attend was in Manhatten, Kansas.  The remaining banner, packed in my panniers, would be used when I was finished with my trip, and had arrived in Raleigh.  Noting that the Raleigh Rotary met on the 21st floor of a downtown building, I made the assumption that members would be dressed in business attire, so I checked with the president of the club (prior to my leaving Everett) and was told that I would be welcome dressed in casual clothing, but I might be more comfortable if I wore business slacks and a nice shirt.

So I prepared some clothing for Karen to mail to Raleigh.  It would arrive just prior to my arrival there.

Upon arriving in North Carolina, I emailed the club to make sure they would be meeting on the 25th, and to make arrangements for a banner exchange.  Receiving no email reply, I called the club phone number and left a similar message.  The president of the club, George Wallace, called to confirm the meeting and the banner exchange.  He was very welcoming.

Arriving a little early at the Raleigh Rotary meeting on the 25th, I met several members who were very friendly.  The president arrived and welcomed me to the head table.

At the appropriate time of the meeting, I was asked to come up front for the banner exchange.  Instead of waiting with his club banner, the president had a long tube, out of which he pulled a poster. 

As I looked closer, I saw that it was a poster-sized photograph.  In the photograph were approximately 50 members of my Rotary club, seated and standing, in tiers.  Many of the members were holding large letters, that spelled out the message:  "Congrats!  Where there's a Will, there's a way!"  I was absolutely dumbfounded (a common feeling for me, but exceptionally so this time)!

Will McMahan