01 September 2004

Summer of Service

2004 Marks A Summer Of Service In Magnolia
P. Scott Cummins© 2004 The UrbaneR

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. It has been wonderful to see crowds at the Magnolia Farmer’s Market this past month. And with a whole bunch of evenings together, Blaine parents have (joined by several awesome neighbors who became dedicated volunteers as well) utterly transformed the playground next to Pop Mounger Pool with the addition of a huge new play structure and landscape elements. This is great news for kids, to be sure, but in fullest measure means something more for all of us.

If you ask ‘why’ of those selfless, dedicated, (and apparently) indefatigable community volunteers from groups like the P.T.A., Magnolia Chamber of Commerce and others - for the countless hours spent putting on celebrations and events for all of us to enjoy. Well, perhaps it would be better to say ‘thank you’ and ask to volunteer. But that is precisely the point, because invariably what they would only ask of you is to combine your passionate interests with a spirit of giving back to the community and the world. This is a win-win strategy.

In many ways, there is perhaps no greater example of this 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 going to Africa this year, I would have been right there with you. And even then, without bringing you to Uganda, it is difficult to explain. It is just that Rotary Club projects in the Third World are so difficult to miss - both in terms of their sheer number - and magnitude of impact on people’s lives. This is in stark contrast to how quietly the business leaders involved with Rotary here go about making so many good things happen. On my trip to Africa with Magnolia’s own Sister Schools, it was invigorating to see the partnerships they have established with Rotary Clubs around this region, who are in turn helping with international community service projects involving local public schools. Because of the quiet nature of their service, I had never been aware of Rotary’s reach before I went to Africa. 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.

Like everyone else, I never miss a chance to head on down to the Magnolia Farmer’s Market. This summer only to find, you guessed it, a Rotary Club of Magnolia booth! Selling ice cold water to sunny shoppers, they then donate the proceeds to the Helpline. And though they are a brand new club, growth has reached almost fifty members over this summer. Tomorrow, the club will hear from Mayor Nickels at their regular Thursday breakfast meeting. In only a few weeks, 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 with their work together.

Maybe it is a sign of the times, and it should come as no surprise to see so many Magnolia neighbors involved in what Rotary calls ‘Service Above Self’ – and maybe you have been giving thought to this in terms of your life’s purpose as well. I have seen firsthand, in Africa, many manifestations of Rotary’s stated object of “advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace” – but in that 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.

(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 at service@pscottcummins.com )