My Rotary experience extends back to 1981 as I began my career in hospital administration in La Crosse Wisconsin.  Fresh out of grad school and newly married at age 23, I was eager to grow into “adulthood.”  The hospital CEO who served as my mentor at the time was a member of the primordial downtown noon Rotary club and he encouraged me to join the newly-chartered morning Valley View Rotary club in town. There I found kinship with other young professionals as we shared similar life experiences of that age (buying our first car, home, lawn mower, having children, etc.) and began to appreciate what “service above self” really means in the context of doing big and small good deeds in a small-town community. Next, in 1989 Mimi and I with four kids in tow relocated to assume a hospital administration job located in the Fox Valley area of suburban Chicago where I immediately joined the Geneva noon Rotary Club. This Club was founded in 1919 with membership representing all branches of the community; business owners, farmers, not-for-profit leaders, school administrators, politicians, clergy, women(!), doctors, lawyers, etc.  The networking opportunities through that Club leading to deeper connection to this community, and great lunches(!), are the two things I remember most about this Rotary Club experience. 1993 found us moving once again, this time to work on the administrative team of the now-defunct St. Michael Hospital at 24th and Villard in Milwaukee.  My CEO at St. Mike’s was a member of the North Shore Rotary Club and was entirely supportive of having me join the Thiensville-Mequon Rotary Club.  Karl and Carol Hertz were our neighbors at that time and Karl sponsored my application to join the Club. I have so many warm memories of being welcomed into the Club by Club legends such as Loyal Wells, Mert Campbell, Wally Sommer Sr., Doc Witte, Frank Bolz, Dick McNabb, Ralph Huiras, Jack Wiese, Ned Kellner, Dick Berg, John Riley, and many others still living or now deceased. The Mequon Rotary Park had just been completed at this time and I recall (and am still embarrassed) that my name was added to the bronze plaque on the pavilion post even though I think my cash contribution at the time was a measly $25!  My career took another shift in 1996 when I transitioned to an entirely new role as a hospital consultant working for a small firm out of Boston.  It allowed me to continue to live in Thiensville – the best place on earth to live and raise a family – but required me to travel around the country about 42 of 52 weeks per year, usually to include Tuesdays which caused my attendance at Club meetings to suffer dramatically. Fortunately, the Club has accommodated this circumstance over the years and has always welcomed me warmly when I can attend noon meetings or be involved (as I strive to be) in our many civic service activities and fund raisers. 26 years later I am traveling less these days which has permitted my weekly attendance to rebound a bit, something I am very grateful for, I can assure you!  See you next week good friends!