Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Rotary seeks members

With more and more members moving to different locations for other opportunities, Gurdons Rotary Club roster is shrinking by the month.

The 16-member club that consisted of 20 members a month ago will find itself yet another member short after Rev. Gary Maskell, current president of the club, will transfer to minister in Warren.

The club met Thursday, May 29, at noon  the normal meeting time  to discuss some ideas to reach out and share Rotary with local citizens.

Maskell said that the club has lost members not for any bad reasons  theyve just moved on to other places. Maskell, who will officially be leaving Gurdon Wednesday, June 25, suggested the club look outside of the city limits to towns such as Beirne and Whelen Springs.

Rotarian Billy Tarpley, who will continue his presidency after Maskell leaves, pointed out the wheel symbol of the club and for what reason it serves.

We use the wheel as the symbol because the different spokes serve as different professions, he said. We dont have anyone from Georgia Pacific, Anthony Timberlands or Antoine (Hardwoods).

Rotarian Anita Cabe suggested a dinner where more people would be able to attend than would be able to during the lunch hour. The club voted to host a dinner on a Thursday evening before Maskell leaves.

Concerning the time of the meeting, Tarpley noted that the Arkadelphia Rotary Club surveyed its members to see if noon was a bad time to meet, and asked Gurdons club what it thought about meeting at the normal time.

Cabe said, Once youre used to a particular time, its hard to change.

Gurdon Rotarian Al Brown added to Cabes comment, Most everyone is off for lunch.

The club decided to host the dinner to show its guests what Rotary is all about. The date and time is tentative, but should give guests plenty of time to RSVP.

Rotary is a worldwide organization of more than 1.2 million business, professional, and community leaders. Members of Rotary clubs, known as Rotarians, provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help build goodwill and peace in the world, Maskell said about the club.

There are over 32,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.

Clubs are nonpolitical, nonreligious, and open to all cultures, races and creeds, Maskell said. As signified by the motto Service Above Self, Rotarys main objective is service  in the community, in the workplace and throughout the world.