I wear many hats on a daily basis - wife, mother, business woman, volunteer, and advocate .  I am honored to add Rotary President to the rotation for the 2020-2021 club year.  I hope to have a year of fellowship, community service, and laughter. 

 

I made the decision to join Rotary, particularly the Bay City club, after attending my first meeting.  After the club sang (SANG!) America The Beautiful and recited the Pledge of Allegiance, I was interested.  But after hearing, and laughing, at the happy/hard luck portion of the meeting, I was hooked.  The group reminded me of my Grandfather, a major influence in my life.  He loved his country, his community, and a good story.  He always left his worries at the door and knew that everyone needed time to let their spirit relax with fellowship and laughter.  I also quickly realized that I admired the 4-way test and how it could impact my daily life for the better.

 

It is fitting that this year’s Rotary International President, Holger Knaack, is German as was my Grandfather.  After hearing President Knaack speak at the PETS conference in March and reading an article in Rotary Magazine, I truly feel that I am on the right track, with what seems some guidance from my grandfather.  I especially appreciated this excerpt from the article:

 

“There’s a German phrase: man holt die Leute ins Boot. It means getting people on board to work together toward a common goal. In the coming year, Rotarians will find that Holger Knaack is not one to stand on the sidelines while others do the work. But equally important for Knaack is the philosophy that working hard doesn’t mean you can’t also have a good time. As he spends this year getting people on board — especially to carry out his highest priority, investing in young people — he will also be doing his best to make sure everyone is enjoying themselves.”

 

That is what I hope to provide our club this year – work with laughter.  I look forward to planning service projects to impact our community and working with members to educate our youth on the importance of the 4-way test in our daily lives and of hand washing during this global pandemic.

 

Sincerely, 

Carrie Strohkirch

President, 2020-2021