In the past 16 years as a member of the Rotary Club of Sacramento, there have been countless opportunities for Service Above Self.
There was a project when I was a relatively new member that really ignited my Rotary Spirit. The Reading, Rover and Rotary Committee brought our Rotary Club members and their dogs to an elementary school in Del Paso where we sat with students one-on-one and listened as they read to us and our dogs. For many of these students, english was not their native language.
The dog I brought with me was our German Shepherd named Kobe who was quite large and could be misconstrued as menacing but was really a softie who loved to spend time with the kids. As we listened to the students read aloud it allowed them to build their confidence in a non-judgmental, safe environment. The program also created a positive experience to help many kids get over their fear of dogs. Kobe became a fan favorite with many of the students. I’ve included a picture at an awards ceremony the school held for us and the students.