Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Tonight there was a celebration for the 70th Birthday of the Ashland Rotary Club. There are nearly 34,000 Rotary Clubs in the world and their stated purpose, according to Rotary International, is to “bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.”
My husband joined the Ashland Rotary Club in 1995. I have been making birthday cakes for this club for more than 12 years and a few years ago was made an Honorary Member of the club (an honor that few people have received). We have been active in many of the club’s activities (The Taste of Guanajuato, The Rotary Garden, The Shut-In Holiday Dinner to name a few). Some people think that you join Rotary (or other service clubs) to gain access to community members and maybe improve your business. That may be true – but if you join Rotary to gain you’ve missed the point.
Rotary is a primarily a service organization – and their motto is “Service above Self.” We have met wonderful people in this organization who model this behaviour everyday. We know doctors who have raised money for hospitals in Africa; we know others who have raised money to eradicate polio; and still others who have helped raise money to build homes for impoverished folks in Mexico. Ashland Rotary is an amazing community of people and we are proud and honored to be associated with them. Both of our children have been Rotary Exchange students – my daughter spent a school year in Denmark, my son spent one in the Czech Republic. What a gift it was for them to spend time living abroad and learning about another culture while still so young.
I could go on and on about Rotary and would gladly share with you any information that I have. Tonight, I’d like to toast the Ashland Rotary Club for 70 years of community service and would like to congratulate the men and women of this club – for all that they have accomplished thus far and for all that they aspire to do in the future. We are happy to a part this incredible fellowship.
Pie a Day Give Away 
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