It’s not every new club member who is inducted by a Rotary district governor. However, that was the case Nov. 14 as Lorrie Spaling joined the Rotary Club of Drayton.
Rotary District 6330 includes 61 clubs and covers a part of Michigan and southwestern Ontario. The tiny, but very active, Drayton club increased about 12 percent in membership from nine to 10 with the addition of Spaling.
District governor Thomas Robitaille from Sarnia and assistant district governor Walt Berry of Brussels travelled to Drayton to lead the new member ceremony. Spaling’s father and husband joined members for a pre-ceremony dinner with the Rotarians and their spouses. Membership chair Bob Bignell, Spaling’s sponsor, was unable to attend, but wrote an introduction speech, which was read by president Ellen Papenburg.
Robitaille talked about the merits of Rotary International, an organization that started in 1905 and has over a million members worldwide in more than 200 countries. A major accomplishment of the organization is its role in assisting the World Health Organization with the near-eradication of polio. Only about 1,000 cases remain in two war-ridden countries. Another Rotary project is training peace negotiators worldwide. ??
Local projects are a big part of Rotary as well. Drayton Rotary recent handed a cheque for $16,000 to the Palmerston Hospital Foundation to help purchase a resuscitation unit. Crawling into the ditches along the adopted highway from Drayton to Goldstone to clean them is another local Rotary project, accomplished with help of youngsters from local churches. The Rotary Club supports many projects around town, including new Drayton entrance signs, a trail along the river and many others. ??
After explaining the merits of Rotary International, Robitaille presented Spaling with her Rotary credentials and Rotary pin.
The Rotary Club of Drayton would welcome more new members for the 65-year-old club. For more information contact Bob Bignell at 519-638-2263 or Ellen Papenburg at 519-638-5444.
