Being number one isn’t always easy, but the Rotary Club of Long Beach was up for the challenge. On June 6 the club was one of two to receive the best club award out of 50 others in Orange County and Southeast Los Angeles County. The qualifications for the award were based on contribution to the community, involvement in international activities, and youth education involvement.
District Governor Lane Culvert gave Long Beach Rotary the award because of its overall balanced performance in each of the qualification areas.
Thirty-two thousand Rotary clubs exist in over 200 countries and geographical areas with one goal in mind: making the world a better place. In February 2007 Long Beach Rotary worked with fellowship members of Colima, Mexico, to help improve its rural school areas. Rotary volunteers will soon provide hearing aids and glasses to the people of Colima who need them.
According to Long Beach Rotary President, Terry Geiling, “If you can’t hear or see, you can’t learn. Hearing aids and glasses will help solve this problem.”
The club also has three separate grants that will go toward school libraries, computers, and a clean-water project in rural Mexico.
The club has also made generous contributions to students and organizations in Long Beach. Recently, 270 scholarships worth $300,000 were awarded to CSULB and LBCC students. Club members provide funds and services to local non-profit groups such as the YMCA and Boy Scouts. Long Beach Rotary also maintains Centennial Park in Long Beach at PCH and Junipero Avenue. Geiling said, “We head out on Saturdays at 7 a.m. with our Krispy Kremes and clean up.”
The Rotary movement all started in Chicago in 1905. The founder, Paul Harris, was a lawyer who wanted to “form an organization that ‘rotated’ its meeting location between three friends, thus organizing the first club of about a dozen members.” The organization has now become one of the largest volunteer clubs in the world.
Harris established Rotary International, which makes it possible for club members to volunteer in different countries. Every year each club strives to reach their international funds goal, known as Paul Harris Fellowships. So far, Long Beach has raised $75,000. The 340 Rotary members are determined to raise $90,000 and be the largest club ever to have 100 percent of its members as Paul Harris Fellows with each member contributing at least $1,000.
Geiling’s achievements certainly set the bar high for the new president, Jane Netherton, who takes office July 1. This Long Beach native and president of International City Bank has been a Rotary board member since 1987. Geiling said, “Jane will do well; she is a very talented lady.”
