Pincher Creek Rotary to roll up its sleeves under new president Dan Crawford

New Pincher Creek Rotary President Dan Crawford

"We will break bread as friends and neighbors. We will laugh."

Christian Davis - The Rotary Club of Pincher Creek held their Passing of the Gavel celebration on Saturday evening June 18 at the beautiful Eggert Ranch south of Pincher Creek near Twin Butte. Outgoing Club President Philip Francois officiated the event, speaking to a sizable crowd of Rotarians, dignitaries, guests, and other elbow rubbers hailing from near and far before handing the gavel over to Dan Crawford, making Crawford the new Rotary Club of Pincher Creek President.

New Pincher Creek Rotary president Dan Crawford and outgoing president Philippe Francois

After a prime rib dinner the Rotarians and their guests were entertained by the Coyote Creek Band. Proceeds from the $50/plate dinner will be donated to the Pincher Creek and District Food Bank.  Pincher Creek Rotary's involvement doesn't end there, with considerable support in the past and a promise of weekly physical and material support on the Club's behalf from Crawford.  Guests came from as far away as Mexico and Belgium.

Helene and Philippe Francois

Outgoing Pincher Creek Rotary President Philip Francois and his wife Helene - no description suffices unless it includes their wonderful smiles, warm hearts, and seemingly endless enthusiasm for life.  They are in effect Belgian ambassadors to this part of southwestern Alberta, only we claim them as our own now and would be extremely loathe to give them back.

New Pincher Creek Rotary President Dan Crawford's speech focused on change.

"The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new." - Socrates

Crawford said he had three goals for the next year.  First,  "We need to become friends again," he said, reminding the Rotarians that fellowship was at the heart of Rotary.  "We will break bread as friends an neighbours, and we will laugh," he reiterated later on.

Crawford said Pincher Creek Rotary's schedule will be changed from what it has been in the past.  Weekly Thursday luncheons, have been held for years at the Heritage Inn in Pincher Creek.  That didn't work for everybody's schedule, so evening events were tried.  Guest speakers have been a regular part of those luncheons, including yours truly. Last year the Thursday luncheons were held at Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village, before returning to the Heritage.

 Under Crawford's leadership, on the first and third Thursdays of a month the Rotarians will continue to meet at the Heritage Inn, with guest speakers, noon til one.  On the second Thursday of a month they will meet at their regular time, but at the Pincher Creek Food Bank. There they will eat a simple meal and then the Rotarians will be backs-to-the-wheel for the rest of the hour, helping McMan Agency with some of the many physical tasks that come with running the facility, on an ongoing basis.  Having toured the facility relatively recently, I can attest there are tasks for every size, age, and experience of volunteer there.

This year we're going to DO Rotary, not BE Rotary," said Crawford.

"In these prosperous times there are children, adults, and families who do not know what they're going to eat tomorrow," said Crawford.  "This year the Rotary Club of Pincher Creek is going to build a relationship with the food bank.  "We're going to make a difference for some  of our hungry neighbours."

Crawford also said Pincher Creek Rotary will be supporting the Pincher Creek Spray Park Society in their efforts to build a water park in Pincher Creek. which has also had enthusiastic support from Town council.  Last year's Pincher Rotary Canada Day duck race at Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village alone raised $500 for the spray park cause.  Matching donations are the thing now, so every dollar raised locally has the potential to double.

The Rotary Club of Pincher Creek is a service club.  We need to serve."