“Service Above Self.”
That’s the motto of Rotary International and members of its local chapter, the Yukon Rotary Club, are living those words every day.
Established in 1967, the Yukon Rotary Club has been Yukon’s leading civic group for more than 50 years.
While organizations like the Jaycees, Lions, Kiwanis, and Ambucs have come and gone, Rotary remains a strong force in Yukon.
This group boasts 30 members who represent a cross-section of our business community. Yukon Rotary has bankers, educators, insurance agencies, financial advisors, medical professionals, and many others on its roster.
The club includes people I’ve known for many years like Mike Geers, Lance Doyle, Jay Emory, Patrick McClung, Becky Durham, Jay Emory, Homer Cobb, Kyle Ruzicka, Dr. Jason Simeroth, and Bill Baker.
Longtime Yukon Rotarian Betty Corn (Leon’s much-better half) invited me to Tuesday’s weekly lunch meeting at Integris Canadian Valley Hospital to prepare pre-coverage of the club’s big pancake feed next Saturday, March 7.
I was so excited to be treated to lunch I even volunteered to help out that morning at the 53rd annual pancake breakfast. It is an “all-you-can-eat” feast of pancakes and sausage from 7-11 a.m. at the Dale Robertson Center, 1200 Lakeshore.
Yukon Rotary President Jana Knott and Vice President Amanda Wiedemann let me know I needed to be there at 6 a.m. I haven’t seen 6 a.m. since I worked the 3:30 am-noon shift as an airport TSA officer, so I’ll just set my alarm for extra-loud.
In case you didn’t know, the pancake breakfast is the Yukon Rotary Club’s ONLY annual fund-raiser.
The only other money collected comes from membership dues.
Betty shared with me a list of all the projects that Yukon Rotary supports both locally and across the globe.
For example, did you know the Yukon Rotary Club built the pavilion at Sunrise Park in 1984?
Or that the group purchased hard-body vets for our police and fire departments?
Or that members built the concrete pad and garage for Compassionate Hands’ accessible van?
Yukon’s Rotarians help man the information booth during the annual Czech Festival and have participated in downtown beautification planter projects.
All that and much more!
Funds raised at next Saturday’s pancake feed will be used to support a wide range of school and community projects. Yukon Rotary has supported these organizations with their donations: Compassionate Hands, Manna Pantry, Mobile Meals, Yukon Sharing, Yukon Foundation for Excellence, Yukon schools WatchDogs program, Literacy Council, Boy Scouts, Yukon Police Department’s Shop With a Cop, Santa’s Toy Shoppe, and more.
On top of all these local groups, the Yukon Rotary Club supports various international programs notably “shelter boxes” used in disaster relief.
If you are looking for a great group to join, consider becoming a member of the Yukon Rotary Club. They meet at noon each Tuesday at the Yukon hospital.
Otherwise, please make plans to attend Yukon Rotary Pancake Day next Saturday, March 7. Tickets are just $6 for adults and $3 for kids 3-12. You’ll enjoy some fantastic flapjacks and even better company with your neighbors and friends.
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WELCOME ABOARD: Please join everyone at the Yukon Progress in welcoming our new managing editor, Robert Medley, who succeeds Tim Farley. Many of you are familiar with Robert’s work during the 30 years he covered stories for The Oklahoman.
Robert got his start as an intern reporter in summer 1986 with the Anadarko newspaper and is a welcome addition to our newspaper team. Robert is heading up the news department for the Progress and our “sister” weekly papers in Piedmont and Okarche.
You can drop Robert an email at editor@yukonprogress.com
Robert’s arrival will allow yours truly to focus on what I enjoy doing best, covering the news of Yukon and Canadian County. I like being out in our community on the look-out for a good story.
If you have a story suggestion for me, let me know at conrad@yukonprogress.com
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Speaking of progress in Yukon, I’m sure many of you have noticed the great progress being made to install new left-turn lanes on Garth Brooks Boulevard at the uber-busy Yukon Parkway/West End Pointe Drive intersection. New concrete has been poured and contractor crews were installing new signal lights this week.
What a great relief for motorists trying to turn left! This area has become more and more congested this busy commercial district develops.
