Outgoing Pearl Rotary President Myron Fehr reviewed a string of Club accomplishments in 2006-07 at his last turn with the gavel on June 26. He handed out kudos to many Club members who contributed to these accomplishments.

Fehr cited these achievements among his long list:

Creation and expansion of a strong partnership with Lincoln High School, host school for many of the Club’s youth exchange students. A solid exchange program during the year that sent a Metropolitan Learning Center high school junior for a year in Turkey and hosted a senior from Denmark at Lincoln High School were lauded….

The Club’s successful hosting of a group of young Australian business persons under a Rotary graduate study exchange program was commended. Initiation and continuing participation by the Club in World Community Service projects in Uganda, Fiji, El Salvador and Mexico were noted.

Cooperating with Rotary District 5100, Pearl Rotary helped placed new dictionary/information almanacs in the hands of every third grade student in the Portland School District. Other local community service projects included weekly delivery of Meals on Wheels to elderly, low-income Portland residents and participation in the Pearl’s First Thursday in the (Jamison) Park and Ecotrust’s Salmon Nation festival.

Club membership grew by nearly 50% during the year, with the roster of active members rising from some 30 to 44 by June 30, 2007.

Fehr noted “other proud moments and accomplishments”, including set up and successful use of the Clubrunner communications system to support an expanded Club web site and to keep all club members regularly informed of activities and progress; public relations and Club awareness program, including advertising Rotary’s Pearl presence and objectives in local publications, and posters placed with Pearl businesses; strong weekly club programs featuring speakers representing Portland and regional businesses, civic leadership, nonprofit organizations, media, arts and culture, the environment and international interests.

Fehr was praised by many Club members for his leadership in the past year of Pearl Rotary. Incoming President Ivy Nelson applauded “Myron’s willingness to take risks and break new ground for the Club”, and his passion for Rotary. President elect Don Barney thanked Fehr for his strong support on the club’s membership recruitment drive, for his personal commitment to and deep belief in Rotary values, and for his leadership style, “encouraging many of us to take on key responsibilities while steering the club to a new level of growth and accomplishment.”