Rotary Refections from Jim Burness

This wraps up my year as President of Dublin AM Rotary. 

A year ago at this time I had one goal, to see that we make our community a little bit better over the next 12 months. Reflecting back, I am proud to say WE accomplished that goal.

It is truly amazing to look at all that we have accomplished.

• We sent school supplies to children in Afghanistan and provided volunteers every month for the Salvation Army Mobile Canteen. 
• We manned the Red Kettles at Christmas time, providing over 100 volunteer hours. 
• With the help of Rich Brown, we collected more than 900 Coats for the Salvation Army's "Coats For Columbus Campaign".
• We flew World War 2 Veterans to Washington DC and toured them thru the Memorials. 
• We provided financial assistance to the Dublin Food Pantry, as well as providing them with volunteers at Thanksgiving time handing out meals.
• We provided Marshalls to the City of Dublin for the St. Patrick's Day Parade as well as mentors to Middle Scholl Students in the Dublin City Schools. 
• We sponsored 3 Interact Clubs, with over 250 student participants.  Those students went on to raise more than $20,000 for the St. Judes Children's Hospital.
• We provided prosthetic hands for amputees in Haiti and sent financial relief there to help with the Earthquake disaster, as well as funds to the Philippines to help with a typhoon disaster. 
• We collected more than 3,000 books to help literacy in our community as well as adopted three families at Christmas time, providing them with a Christmas they otherwise wouldn't have had.
• We volunteered for Hazardous Waste Collection and our members worked for a day to clean up the Scioto River.
• We provided $4,500 in Scholarships to High School Seniors in Dublin as well as sponsoring a doctor from the Philippines to study non-invasive surgical techniques at Children's Hospital.
 
The newsletter editor says I am up against my word count, but you get the picture. We made a difference. I wish Dave Connelly well as he gets ready to start his year.

I know the future looks bright.