You can lay the blame at the feet of the Baby Boomers.

[McMike]

I don't agree with a lot of what you say.

I belong to a local club whose membership has doubled in the past five year, a club that has donated thousands of pounds of food, thousands of dollars of scholarships, and completed many civic enhancements. The bulk of the grunt work is done by baby boomers, mainly because they are retired and not tied to long hours at jobs as are the younger members.

Every time I read your gloom I actually think that you enjoy your gloominess. There's work to do if you're interested in doing it.

LOL, how big is this club? So you donated a can or two? Why don't you try something hard, like mentoring a teen/young adult through their engineering degree and watching them get a job at a prominent aerospace manufacturer, get married, and buy a bigger house than yours all before he's 28. Kieth meet him . . . boom, I win. Go write another $10 check to feel better about yourself.

[Dave Wright]

LOL, how big is this club? So you donated a can or two? Why don't you try something hard, like mentoring a teen/young adult through their engineering degree and watching them get a job at a prominent aerospace manufacturer, get married, and buy a bigger house than yours all before he's 28. Kieth meet him . . . boom, I win. Go write another $10 check to feel better about yourself.

You have no idea.

[McMike]

You have no idea.

I don't need a club to hold my hand. Go virtue signal somewhere else.

[Keith Wilson]

. . . like mentoring a teen/young adult through their engineering degree and watching them get a job at a prominent aerospace manufacturer, get married, and buy a bigger house than yours all before he's 28. Keith meet him . . .

I did indeed, and Mike did a very, very good thing. Glad to hear he's doing so well.

But it's not a competition, and there are lots of ways to make the world a better place, both on your own and working with others.

[McMike]

I did indeed, and Mike did a very, very good thing.

But it's not a competition, and there are lots of ways to make the world a better place, both on your own and working with others.

Nope, it's not a competition. If easy-button giving is all you can manage, more power to you, but to brag about it to invalidate someone who I respect . . .

[WI-Tom]

Nah. It's a very big problem, for sure, but money does not equal votes, and votes still count.

That's true, but... Meh. Votes ain't the whole story, not by a long shot. Somewhere there were statistics about how closely the actions of legislators match the desires and recommendations of the people who elected them. I think it was something like 96% + of what legislators do actually contradicts what people want them to do.

So, do votes still count? Hmm... Kind of. Maybe. But do voters count? Apparently not.

Tom

[WI-Tom]

Ok and when we’re gone who is to blame?

Kind of like asking "Now that the car has gone off the cliff, and the driver has jumped out, who is to blame for the fact that the car is still plummeting toward the ground? :}

Tom

[WI-Tom]

Nope, it's not a competition. If easy-button giving is all you can manage, more power to you, but to brag about it to invalidate someone who I respect . . .

Hmm... My wife has been a Rotarian for a long time. It's a very-much white male dominated club, but (the white part, at least), that reflects the demographics of northern Wisconsin pretty well.

It's not "easy-button giving" for everyone, McMike. Lots of time invested from members on projects, not just money. Direct involvement helping communities set up municipal supplies of clean water, infrastructure, etc. in South American from her club. Coordinating with locals so projects are local-driven, and locals take responsibility for maintenance, etc.--because it's theirs.

Also, huge progress toward the world-wide eradication of polio (threatened now, sadly, with wild polio back in the U.S.--Trumpism and anti-vaxxer stupidity played a part in that).

Yes, Rotary's image is a bit stodgy, and so is the reality at times, but there is real work being done. Seeing my wife's involvement greatly increased my appreciation for, and understanding of, what they are all about.

Tom

[Breakaway]

^ I agree that a Rotary Club, or any group, will mostly reflect the population in the area where it lives.

Examples:

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Kevin