“It’s been a fantastic year,” President Diane Brandsma exclaimed, opening the Pearl Rotary evening party June 24 that ended her 2023-24 reign.

“I’m excited about having the time to celebrate those who have gone the extra mile…plus our scholars.”

From the Ecotrust podium, where the gavel would later be passed to Janet Young, Diane recognized many Rotarians including:

• New Paul Harris Fellows (a distinction earned by contributing $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation).
• Rotarians with over 40 years of membership.
• Past presidents who piloted the club in its nearly 50-year history.
• Rotarians who serve on the Pearl Fund board and manage finances and oversee charitable giving.
• Committee chairs–ranging from youth exchange to community and international service to PPRC’s youth outreach.
• $2,000 college scholarship winners–Srikrishna Prasannan, Lincoln H.S. grad, headed to the University of Oregon (who was at the event with his family), and Liann Huynh Preciado, McDaniel senior and soon Oregon State enrollee.
• Recognition from Diane for two youth exchange students whose years are ending–outbound Blessing Amponsah, McDaniel, just back from Brazil, and inbound Deniz Dincer, soon back to Turkey.

The reach of Pearl’s “Service Above Self” and financial commitments became evident when a guest of the club, Kenyan Emily Bakhitah, spoke. PPRC has sponsored four students with scholarships through her Rise to Shine foundation in rural Kenya, Emily described the challenges for young women in a rural fishing village that controls most girls and dooms them to life of forced work, teenage pregnancies and early marriages. The rural poverty and accepted pathways “not only leave girls behind…they are pushed behind.”

RtoS seeks potential leaders who enter boarding school and high school, thus missing “the violence against women in a system that makes sure women stay where they are. When they get away, I’m amazed at the many dreams these students have.”

Emily, the organization’s founder and executive director, is a Rotarian in Kenya and is studying for her master’s degree in London.

Diane lauded Emily’s efforts in educating young people, modeling the RI theme, “We support you to ‘Create hope in the world.’ “

The time had come for Diane to pass the gavel to her successor and present Janet with a new badge and lapel pin, both signifying “President.” Of the club, Diane summarized, “We don’t do this service individually…collectively, we can do so much more…thank you for this incredible year to be your president.”

In effect, Diane ended her year as she had started every Tuesday morning breakfast: with a moment of gratitude. (Earlier at the gala, the mic was passed around the room for compliments and thankfulness that ranged from laughter to tears.)

Janet, a Pearl resident and retiree from economic development consulting, has been in the club since 2013. She will preside under the ’24-25 RI theme, “The Magic of Rotary.” Fittingly, Jerry Baysinger, songmaster, and the Peacemakers ended with lyrics altered to Rotary service in a rendition of “Do You Believe in Magic?”

(Janet’s first official meeting will be July 9 since the Ecotrust conference room won’t be available on the 4th of July week.)

Scholarship winner Krishna, from Lincoln H.S., posed with Rotarians Tara Mussulman, left, and Chris Freeman of the youth service committee.