When in conversation and I say the word “Rotary,” people who don’t know me will ask what I mean. Well, I certainly don’t mean that old-style phone with the dial that you would spin a number of times with your index finger in order to phone a neighbor or friend. And I certainly don’t mean the revolutionary Wankel rotary internal combustion engine.

What I’m referring to is Rotary International, a service organization with local branches all over the world. We have at least three Rotary clubs here in East Jefferson County alone.

I belong to The Port Townsend Rotary Club, which meets every Tuesday at noon at The Commons at Fort Worden State Park. Our meetings include cafeteria lunches and some sort of informative presentation by someone outside of our club (it could be a slate of people running for office or the head of Olympic Community Action Programs – you never know). Meetings last about one and a half hours.

Our primary purpose is to serve Rotary International by raising money or serving physically on projects in nations all over the world wherever needed. Did you know that since 1985, Rotary International has contributed more than $1.7 billion toward the eradication of polio? We’re almost there, with just a few cases reported last year.

LOCAL CAUSES

We also raise money to support local nonprofits, like Jumping Mouse Children’s Center, JC MASH, the homeless shelter down at the American Legion and many, many others. We raise the funds for these diverse projects and causes through various fundraisers over the course of the year.

Our big event is our gala auction party, held this year on April 7. (Look for large notices in The Leader in the next two issues and on the Rotary bulletin downtown on Taylor Street.) One part of the evening’s festivities is something called “The Fund-a-Cause,” which typically raises $25,000. This year’s recipient is The Boiler Room, located downtown on Water Street, with the money going for much needed improvements to the building and replacement of outdated appliances. Local hands-on projects include, among others, maintaining and painting the tables and benches at Rotary Park, down by the ferry dock, and along the shoreline path at Point Hudson; and cleaning up roadside trash along part of Jacob Miller Road twice a year.

We are a diverse group of men and women, some working, some retired, with diverse backgrounds and occupations. Our members include Jefferson County Sheriff Dave Stanko and Port Townsend Police Chief Mike Evans, a school superintendent, Realtors, contractors, a documentary filmmaker, lawyers, social workers, a printer and many other occupations represented among them. This diversity leads to new friendships and new points of view as we share with each other over lunch or working side by side on some project. With various club committees to work on, there’s some way for everyone to contribute.

If this sounds like something you might be interested in, go online to our website, porttownsendrotary.org, and check us out.

Jonathan Langdon is a three-year member of Port Townsend Rotary. He’s a California transplant and retired general contractor.