Up to Something Good
by Brother Rogers
Starkville is full of “do-gooders.” They are constantly at work, but many times their work goes unnoticed. Who are these unsung heroes? They are members of local service clubs.
Our community is blessed with many of these service clubs. The local Rotary and Kiwanis clubs are among the largest in the state, and others include Civitan, Exchange, Junior Auxiliary, Lions and Optimists to name a few.
Some may think these groups are nothing but “meet and eat” organizations that gather regularly to hear a guest speaker and have a meal together. While most of these clubs do have weekly meetings, they are much more than that.
Members of service clubs are volunteers who are making a difference around the world and close to home. Rotary International has a massive vaccination program to rid the world of polio. The Lions have a global project that has saved countless children from blindness. The Kiwanis Worldwide Service Project is working to eliminate iodine deficiency disorders, the greatest cause of preventable mental retardation and learning disorders in the world.
However, the effectiveness of these service club members is best seen right here in Starkville. Nearly every worthwhile community effort has the support of a service club. Habitat for Humanity, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, organized youth sports, Special Olympics, coats and toys for needy children at Christmas, public playgrounds, gifts for nursing home residents, scholarships for local students – these are the kinds of projects that members of Starkville’s service clubs support each year.
People in service clubs embody an idealism and altruism that strengthen the fabric of our community. At a time when our headlines focus on negative stories and the world appears heartless, service club members exhibit a positive, optimistic attitude. They believe that they can make their community better and are willing to work to do just that. One columnist recently said, “Service clubs are the community at its best, providing bonds of friendship to their members and serving the larger community at the same time.”
I joined the Kiwanis Club because I realized that my individual efforts could make the most difference through the collective work of an active service club. What I did not realize was the special friendships that would be formed while raising the money and performing the service. New and lasting relationships are a byproduct of the good work these clubs do.
Part of what makes Starkville a great place to live, work and raise a family is the variety of service clubs. In a way, they preserve that Norman Rockwell image of America – a place where neighbors care about neighbors and civic pride runs high. The next time you see one of these service club members volunteering behind the counter of a concession stand or selling a cookbook, remember that that they are “up to good.”
Brother Rogers is the 1999-2000 president of the Kiwanis Club of Starkville and a guest columnist for the Starkville Daily News.
Starkville is full of “do-gooders.” They are constantly at work, but many times their work goes unnoticed. Who are these unsung heroes? They are members of local service clubs.
Our community is blessed with many of these service clubs. The local Rotary and Kiwanis clubs are among the largest in the state, and others include Civitan, Exchange, Junior Auxiliary, Lions and Optimists to name a few.
Some may think these groups are nothing but “meet and eat” organizations that gather regularly to hear a guest speaker and have a meal together. While most of these clubs do have weekly meetings, they are much more than that.
Members of service clubs are volunteers who are making a difference around the world and close to home. Rotary International has a massive vaccination program to rid the world of polio. The Lions have a global project that has saved countless children from blindness. The Kiwanis Worldwide Service Project is working to eliminate iodine deficiency disorders, the greatest cause of preventable mental retardation and learning disorders in the world.
However, the effectiveness of these service club members is best seen right here in Starkville. Nearly every worthwhile community effort has the support of a service club. Habitat for Humanity, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, organized youth sports, Special Olympics, coats and toys for needy children at Christmas, public playgrounds, gifts for nursing home residents, scholarships for local students – these are the kinds of projects that members of Starkville’s service clubs support each year.
People in service clubs embody an idealism and altruism that strengthen the fabric of our community. At a time when our headlines focus on negative stories and the world appears heartless, service club members exhibit a positive, optimistic attitude. They believe that they can make their community better and are willing to work to do just that. One columnist recently said, “Service clubs are the community at its best, providing bonds of friendship to their members and serving the larger community at the same time.”
I joined the Kiwanis Club because I realized that my individual efforts could make the most difference through the collective work of an active service club. What I did not realize was the special friendships that would be formed while raising the money and performing the service. New and lasting relationships are a byproduct of the good work these clubs do.
Part of what makes Starkville a great place to live, work and raise a family is the variety of service clubs. In a way, they preserve that Norman Rockwell image of America – a place where neighbors care about neighbors and civic pride runs high. The next time you see one of these service club members volunteering behind the counter of a concession stand or selling a cookbook, remember that that they are “up to good.”
Brother Rogers is the 1999-2000 president of the Kiwanis Club of Starkville and a guest columnist for the Starkville Daily News.