Davis Rotary - About Rotary - Rotary Testimonials

"In 1957, The Rotary Club of Patterson offered me a scholarship to cover the expenses for the American Field Service (AFS) Summer Exchange Student Program. I spent the summer of 1958 in a small village - Fabero del Bierzo, Spain - where no one spoke English. That summer of total immersion in a new culture was life-changing. That experience helped me develop a self confidence that has served me well ever since. It also made me realize what a wonderful thing the Rotarians had made possible for me. Upon my return I was asked by the Rotary Club to be the High School Representative to attend their weekly meetings and report the weekly high school news to the club. It gave me an opportunity to observe their fellowship, learn about the service projects they undertook and not least, enjoy the fun they shared. I made a vow that if ever had the opportunity to join Rotary, I would grab it. So, in 1970 when I was asked to join our Rotary Club of Davis, I readily accepted and I have been a devoted member since then."

I was one of the 5 women who broke the gender barrier to join Rotary in 1987. It was not an easy decision for me as I had a few good customers of Wells Fargo Bank who told me they would always "love and respect" me as a banker, but would leave Rotary if women joined. Due to my husband's caution that if I refused to join with the other women, I would cause more publicity than if I went ahead with the opportunity to become part of a highly respected local and worldwide organization. I have never regretted that decision...no one left Rotary because of us and I made fabulous friends and business contacts over the years. For the first time, it was okay to have a great friend of the opposite sex without misunderstanding or perception...we were just ROTARIANS! It was an honor to become the first female president in our Davis Club in 1995. Having the opportunity to attend the international conference in Nice, France, was beyond awesome...everyone wearing their badges proudly, arms outstretched to meet one another, no one cared if there was a language barrier! I carried the ethical teachings of the 4 Way Test to my workplace and know it added value to my position of management. Thank you, Rotary, for enriching my life!

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"I joined Rotary in the 1990s, after having been away from Davis for a few years following graduate school here. Rotary has introduced me to people in Davis I otherwise would never have met, not just people in other lines of work, but people in other generations where membership has ranged in age from late 20s to 90s. Rotary has also helped the world seem smaller; through service projects in other parts of the world that Davis Rotary has supported, through news in the Rotarian magazine, through people I’ve met, and programs I’ve been to at the two international conventions I’ve attended"