The Mission of the Niles Rotary Club of Fremont is to build meaningful friendships and build members up while we serve our local community as well as the world at large. We affect real change with real people interactions. We believe there is value by meeting in person each week, serving locally through hands-on projects as well as monetary donations and serving internationally with human development projects.
Welcome from President Dirk
Welcome to Niles Rotary! I am honored to be club President for the 2020-2021 rotary year. Our Rotary International President Holger Knaack’s theme for the year states: Rotary Opens Opportunities….among those include the ability to allow each of us to bloom as a Niles Rotarian! As I celebrate my 37th year in business as a retail florist as well as my 13th year as a Rotarian, I’ve known of the work of Niles Rotary both locally and worldwide since I was a child. It likely comes as no surprise that I chose “Niles Rotary Makes US Bloom” as my theme for my rotary year.
Looking at the rich 83 year history of Niles Rotary, I am constantly reminded why Rotary helps make US the best we can be. Being a Rotarian brings out what is naturally within each of us. It provides an avenue to channel our actions into tangible community and world changing projects that make our world a better place. Whether we are eradicating polio or providing wheelchairs in Mexico, Niles Rotary Makes Us Bloom! When we traveled to Chile to help build an orphanage, Niles Rotary Makes US Bloom. When we care for fellow Niles Rotarians in their time of need or we are painting maps on area school playgrounds, we Bloom in Rotary. Coming together at the Candelighters Ghost House or helping at the Fremont Festival of the Arts, Niles Rotarians Bloom!
Since March of 2020, we as a club have been “meeting” via zoom. Even though we have not been able to physically gather our rotary family since then, one can literally feel the sense of family and fellowship through the computer screen! Fellowshipping via electronic means has been a very important part of maintaining a feeling of family that we value as a club.
Yet…attending a meeting of Niles Rotarians is the very best way to see how each of us “bloom” in Rotary. It’s our members that add to what I’d consider to be the most beautiful “bouquet” I’ve ever seen. Each member contributes in their own way….yet no one member is more “beautiful” to the overall “bouquet” than any other. The fertile soils of Rotary International’s motto “service above self” certainly makes Niles Rotarians Bloom! We invite you to come and feel the Niles Rotary Energy in the room at a live meeting.
Dirk Lorenz
Niles Rotary President 2020-2021