Celina Stoyles, Extended Stay Deluxe
April 10, 2007
I knew joining Rotary would open so many doors both personally and professionally for me.
However, I never knew that reading to children would give me such a sense of giving and a feeling of pride in what Rotarians do.
I think all children, no matter the age, are so impressionable. Going to local schools and children seeing invited guests to their school, through their eyes we are “very important people”. Most times the children are not really sure who we are and what we are.
As I read to the children, which has only been twice, I open our session telling the children who I am and about my family.
Then I share with them WHY we are here reading to them. I tell them about the Rotary Book Club and about other children in the world and lack of schools and no books to read – and how we help them with this.
Maybe it relates more to the older children but when I told them about Rotary they listened with such interest.
Each time I read, I watch the faces of these children and how their eyes light up when the story is exciting and how they laugh when it is funny.
Having the “gift to read”, and I do believe it is a gift, is something we all should share and never take for granted.
As Rotarians, we get to communicate and tell the children how lucky they are to have books in their libraries and resource centres when so many other children around the world don’t even have running water, bathrooms etc.
Today during my reading, when you and Jeff arrived to talk about Rotary, it just brought creditability to who I was and why we were at their school.
One little boy named Matthew, who had listened so attentively to Jeff spoke up and said “I want to be one of you – How can I be one of you”?
Out of the mouth of Children! That I know was a very proud moment for all of us in that classroom.
I joined Rotary because of Jeff’s enthusiasm about the reading club. When he told me about it I knew instantly – I want to do that!
I now have this privilege through Rotary - I look forward to sharing many stories like this with our group.
