Dec. 14 – Holiday Party with Booker T. Washington Students and Santa
LEXINGTON, KY – The Rotary Club of Lexington will hold its weekly meeting on Thursday, Dec. 14, at The Mane on Main, Chase Bank building on Main St. The program is the Rotary Club of Lexington’s Holiday Party with students from Booker T. Washington.
This meeting will also be on Zoom. For the Zoom link please email, [email protected].
If you would like to have lunch, please contact [email protected] to reserve your meal.
A year end holiday message from Presdient Kim Johnson:
Happy Holidays!
December is a season of rituals; 31 days packed with cultural, religious, and family activities that brighten short days and create cherished memories! Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and don’t forget New Year’s, rituals connect us to each other and to our past and future generations.
One of my favorite rituals is the annual visit to Santa Claus. I recall my parents taking us to sit on Santa’s lap – some of us enjoying it more than others ( I am sure we all have one of those photos)!
For me, the ritual instilled a sense of the magic of Christmas and resulted in photos that we still cherish today. The visits also reinforced good behavior through the year as we tried to avoid Jolly Old St. Nick’s naughty list!
Like all rituals, the visit to Santa carried multiple layers of meaning that revealed themselves as I grew older. Santa’s generosity and kindness served as an introduction to the power of giving to others. Santa shared his wealth of toys and candy without getting anything in return. The joy of giving – and lighting up children’s faces on Christmas morning – was his reward.
The rituals involving Santa are for many of us the starting point of a lifetime of giving. We give to others as Santa gave to us – for the joy we receive and the emotions it evokes. As Rotarians, our giving expands beyond our families to friends, neighbors, co- workers, and our communities around the world.
When I think about the many projects of Rotary and our club specifically, my heart is filled with great joy! It is amazing to be involved with an organization whose members are focused on service above self, impacting people here in Kentucky and all over the world.
Cherish the joy on the children’s faces as they open their presents during our holiday luncheon with the kids from Booker T Washington Elementary School. Think about the families we will impact with clean water and sanitation systems in Leslie County through our global grant. Remember the children who will receive a new coat to help them stay warm this winter from our contribution to Fayette County Schools, through our work at the Barbasol Golf Tournament this past July. As we eat our holiday dinners, we can be thankful that our club is doing its part by supporting a few programs to help those families in need overcome food insecurity.
Everywhere you look, the Rotary Club of Lexington is involved in projects, making an impact in support of our Lexington community and beyond! And each of you are an important part of our club’s success in accomplishing these programs.
During this holiday season, we take time to reflect and give thanks for our many blessings. I am thankful for each of you and the support you have given me as the leader of this great organization. I have tasked you with some challenges during my tenure – including taking a week each month to “Do Rotary Differently” as we get our message out in the community. It is a privilege to be able to serve as a Rotarian, and it is our duty to offer this opportunity to as many like-minded people as possible to keep our club serving our community for the next hundred years!
As we start the new year, I am asking each of you to make a resolution to bring a new member to our club. Give the gift of Rotary to someone who wants to be part of a unique organization that works together, building goodwill and better friendships, for the benefit of all concerned.
Wishing you a wonderful holiday my dear friends!
Kim
