Magnolia didn't empty out as usual this August. Okay, as much as most years anyway. And to be sure, from the shores of Lake Chelan to the Spanish Steps in Rome, our neighbors have been busy crossing paths this summer.
But something else has been going on as well. Did you see the crowds at the Magnolia Farmer's Market this past month? Or the Blaine parents who utterly transformed the playground next to 'Pop' Mounger Pool by adding a huge, new play structure and landscape elements? Things like playgrounds are great news for kids, to be sure; however, in fullest measure, they mean something more for all of us as well.
There are many selfless, dedicated and apparently indefatigable community volunteers - from groups like the PTA, Magnolia Chamber of Commerce and Magnolia Helpline - who put in countless hours preparing the celebrations and events we all enjoy. There is no need to ask these folks 'why' they do it; it would be better to say 'thank you' and promptly volunteer oneself. All that is asked here is to combine your passionate interests with a spirit of giving back to the community and the world. It is a win-win strategy.
In many ways, there is perhaps no greater example of this commitment to service than the enormous membership growth this summer of the brand-new Rotary Club of Magnolia. Earlier this year, local business leaders Glenn Harrington and Robert Boyd came together to make this happen. With the support and sponsorship of downtown's venerable (and the nation's largest) Rotary Club of Seattle, the fledgling Magnolia group began holding Thursday breakfast meetings at the Palisades Restaurant.
Whoa, hold on: What am I talking about, you ask. Fair question, and until I went this year to Africa, I would have been right there with you. And even then, without bringing you physically to Uganda, it is difficult to explain. It is just that Rotary Club projects in the Third World are difficult to miss, both in terms of their sheer number as well as the magnitude of their impact on people's lives.
This is in stark contrast to how quietly the people involved with Rotary go about making so many good things happen. On my trip to Africa with Magnolia's Sister Schools project, it was invigorating to see the partnerships Rotary Clubs have established around the region. Because of the quiet nature of their service, I was unaware before I went to Africa of the magnitude of Rotary's reach. One of the things I had to do upon returning, I told myself, was thank them for their work. One way of doing that is through a video I am working on about Rotary's role in empowerment of school children (in both Africa and the U.S.) through the Sister Schools program.
Not that I was completely unaware of Rotary. Like so many of us, I have been long in awe of the 'dual' careers of Herb Bridge: one in building the highly successful retail jewelry mega-chain; the other in public service to our community through myriad activities giving leadership, support and encouragement. Another admirable person is legendary car dealer/philanthropist Phil Smart Sr.
Both of these men have used Rotary as a launching pad for team-based service efforts. Smart gives a now-famous talk on the 'Third Eight,' in which he describes the eight-hour period of each day not devoted to sleeping or working as an opportunity to pump ourselves up with the challenges it provides. The most rewarding use of this time is through helping others in need, Smart says - especially if that service combines a passionate interest with commitment as well as an empathy to the needs and vulnerabilities of others.
Like everyone else, I never miss a chance to head on down to the Magnolia Farmer's Market. This summer I discovered - you guessed it, a booth run by the new Rotary Club of Magnolia. Selling ice-cold water to sunny shoppers, they then donate the proceeds to the Helpline. And though it is a new club, it has grown by nearly 50 members this summer.
Recently the club heard from Mayor Nickels at their regular Thursday breakfast meeting. And this week, at a dinner to celebrate their charter as a 'newest' Rotary Club, they will hear from Bill Gates Sr. This group of Magnolia men and women are not wasting any time getting active.
It should not surprise anyone to see so many Magnolia neighbors involved in what Rotary calls 'Service Above Self'; maybe you, too, have been thinking about such a thing in terms of your life's purpose. I have seen first-hand many manifestations of Rotary's stated object of "advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace." In such a pursuit it is important to remember something. It all begins at home. Here in Magnolia, Rotary is another opportunity to work for the good of all.
Oh, and one other thing. For all you do, thanks.
We also want to congratulate Stephanie and Todd Henderson on the recent birth of their first child, a beautiful little girl named Allison. Stephanie, when not working in major grant development at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, is a leader at the Episcopal Church of the Ascension in Magnolia Village. Todd, who works in commercial real estate, is an occasional guest columnist for the Magnolia News and also serves on the leadership board of the new multi-church youth group in Magnolia.
P. Scott Cummins wants to hear about the great work being done by your Magnolia-based group as well. To get in touch about that, or to learn more about Rotary, contact him via email at this address: service@pscottcummins.com.[[In-content Ad]]
