Cape West Rotary honors member for service, attendance

Cape West Rotary Club member Jerry McClanahan recently received the Four Avenues of Service Citation Award for fulfilling service in areas including club, community, vocational and international.

For McClanahan, the mission of helping humanity is important. He's proud of the work that Rotary has done in stopping polio in the Philippines and working toward that end elsewhere. Since 1985, Rotary and its partners have been working to protect children worldwide from the potentially fatal consequences of the disease. Before eradication efforts began in 1988, polio paralyzed more than 1,000 children a day and about 350,000 children annually. The incidence of polio has since declined by more than 99 percent.

On a lighter note, McClanahan explained his 27 years of perfect attendance in three simple sentences, "Just go. Don't think about it. You've got to eat somewhere."

But McClanahan said his explanation on attending Rotary meetings came from Cape West Rotary charter member, Bob Price, a mentor. To McClanahan, "Every Rotarian is a mentor." He adds, "When you travel internationally, you always meet a friend."

One of the highlights of being a Rotarian was the international service project he led in Zimbabwe, Africa. In 1991 he provided sewing machines to the Harare Children's Home, which helped the youth to attain self-sufficiency.

Member since 1976

McClanahan joined Rotary in 1976 and served on the club board for seven years, was president from 1983 to 1984, has served as the Polio Plus coordinator from 1986 to 1988, served as GSE Team Leader to District 9120 in Nigeria in 1991.

McClanahan was assistant district governor for District 6090 in 1999 and for the new District 6060 for the 1999 to 2001 years.

He has been an instructor at district assemblies and participated in the first president and secretary-elect training programs in 1982. He has served on the PETS and SETs planning committee and has been an active participant from 1999 to 2006.

Rotary is a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders that provides humanitarian service, encourages high ethical standards in all vocations, and helps build good will and peace in the world. Approximately 1.2 million Rotarians belong to more than 32,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.

cpagano@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 133