As incoming President of the Midlothian Rotary Club, I have to travel to the Rotary International Convention as part of this year’s service. (After 15 years of me dodging the duty, I was finally volun-told to be President). The upcoming year will mean a lot of work, a lot of time, and it’s a big commitment. Sounds like a big pain in wazoo, right? Yeah, it is.
But Rotary’s motto is “Service Above Self,” and I’ve been thinking about that phrase a lot lately. Some people serve willingly, and some more reluctantly. At the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter — as long as you serve. I used to think that serving your fellow man, serving your community, serving your church, or even serving your country was about “them.” As I’ve grown older, I’ve realized that my service on the Church Council or Chamber Board of Directors or mentoring in Richmond Public Schools has (hopefully) made a difference. I’ve finally realized that the biggest change has been in me. Helping others has helped me. It only took me 25 years to figure this out.
So my challenge to you is this; look for an opportunity to serve others through any organization you care about. Find the time and make a difference. You’ll find that if you serve willingly — or serve reluctantly — you’ll make RVA better and you’ll be pleased in how it changes you. #serviceaboveself
Monday, June 5: Celebrating “The Riddler”
After a long weekend sprucing up my patio for the summer, it was time to celebrate another great accomplishment. On Monday, we got the team together over a tasty lunch from CAVA to celebrate Senior Account Manager Kaitlin Riddle‘s two-year anniversary as a Madison+Main-iac. Per usual, we all shared our favorite memories of Kaitlin and we can’t wait to make more over the next year! Thanks Kaitlin!
Tuesday, June 6: Remembering D-Day
On Tuesday, I remembered my great uncle Wade Saunders for his service in WWII. Wade, a farm boy from Amherst, drove his tank around Northern Africa chasing Gen. Rommel, then through the Anzio campaign in Italy, up to France, and then into Berlin. He served more than two years in the 191stTank Battalion (and 745th), which took more casualties that any other tank battalion in U.S. history.
Wednesday, June 7: Goodness on the Horizon
We had a great meeting at New Horizon Bank on Wednesday with three awesome ladies; Debbie, Shy, and Renee. I learned a lot about this stellar community bank. I also learned that Powhatan now has a Walmart. Afterwards, I enjoyed lunch back at Burger Bach with Mark Jones, fellow Rotarian and owner of Two Kings Concessions & Catering. It was a great meeting and I am excited that Mark has stepped up as Publicity Chair for the club this year. #serviceaboveself
Thursday, June 8: Something Brand New
On Thursday, we had a meeting with our friends from Comprehensive Health Investment Project (CHIP) of Virginia and Prevent Child Abuse Virginia to deliver options for a new branding project. We’ll share the details soon but we are very excited about the future for these amazing service organizations.
Friday, June 9: Alas — Atlanta!
Today, I hit the road again — well, the sky. As I mentioned earlier, I’m winging it down to Atlanta for the Rotary International Convention. While I am really looking forward to meeting with my fellow Rotarians from around the globe, I am also looking forward to taking a side trip (or two) to The Varsity. When it comes to the American Dream and inspiring family-owned business success stories, few examples shine like The Varsity. The fresh-from-scratch onion rings don’t hurt, either. #WhatllYaHave
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.“
– Mahatma Gandhi