One of my favorite cards features a grey-haired woman in bright red sneakers jogging down Divisadero Street (with Alcatraz visible in the foreground).  The front of the card says “Over the hill” and the inside greeting says “…and gaining speed.”     That though sticks in my mind as I realize the second half of our Rotary year now begins.
     This is the time of the year many Presidents’ topics are  “What have we accomplished…what is left to accomplish?”    Both of these topics are going to be covered in our first meeting in January.  I want instead to travel in time  back to late November and tell my Rotary Club members who among  you makes me Thankful, and why.  The following nine Rotarians go the extra mile in so many ways. Here is a sampling of why I love Rotary, and especially Harbor: 
 
Thank you,  Hugh Murphy, for consistently being the voice of patience and reason, and for providing more organization for the Club than I would ever expect possible.  And thank you, quite simply, for having a good heart and demonstrating compassion in all your interactions with our Members.
Thank you, Millie Anderson, for “having my back” and giving me pep talks at just the right times. The evening you stayed at my house after the “DG/ADG and Board” meeting and we washed dishes side-by-side is a memory and conversation I will keep close for many years.  You help in so many ways and not the least of which is in sharing your love of music and fun.
Thanks also to the following members: Helen Abe, for her 5150 membership work, PERLS instructorship, and unsung mentoring of Clubs (bet ‘cha didn’t know that Helen is an Honorary Member of West Marin now, did ‘cha?  I learned it at the President’s meeting: she is so modest she never mentioned it, even with Happy News!).  John Bottari, for his work for Rotary International (and representing District 5150 at the Zone Institute).   Jim Carriere, for his work with Shelterbox, USA (and election as national  Treasurer).   Cindy Stameroff who has the biggest smile every Tuesday morning and is ready with financials, with suggestions, and with friendship whenever I am most in need.   (Since she is my personal and Greg’s Benefits by Design’s business CPA as well, I REALLY use her financial expertise.  In a similar “Rotary means business” vein, Jim is my banker, Barb is my chiropractor, Aref has the best coffee in the county, and Tom is my ‘puter dude.) 
Jeff Allen,  standing as a representative of the eleven ex-Presidents who reman actively involved in our Club, but the only one with 26 plus years of perfect attendance.  The other ex-Presidents are (in order served) Helen, John B., Jim, Harriet, Kris, Brigette, Stacie, Tom, Karen, and Aref.  (Jeff and Harriet served with their first Clubs before we were lucky enough to get their transfer application.)
I am going to exclude the rest of my Board and the Foundation Board from this essay, because I’m thanking them every day of the week for following through with Rotary, accomplishing what they promise, and eliminating pettiness from our interactions and decisions.  They will receive a special accolade at the end of the term. 
Finally, thank you Jayne Hulbert and Jane Hall, two new Rotarian friends, who speak freely, listen well, and guide with care.  Neither is a member of Harbor, but that’s about the only thing that I can say “against” them…although both speak highly of their own Clubs (Marin Evening and Mill Valley, respectively) and so my “Harbor blinders” are occasionally set aside to recognize awesome other Club’s too.  If 5150 keeps producing leaders like these two, we will continue to rock Rotary International’s world.
So what’s it like, now that half my term is over?  I’d say I am very much like the little grey-haired lady…I’m lacing up my red sneakers because I’ve reached the top of the hill and now, looking at the second half of my term, I am going to be over the hill and gaining speed!