Why I Am A Rotarian
JULY 4, 2006
I
could tell you hundreds of reasons why I belong to the
greatest service club on the face of the planet, Rotary
International – but I have decided to tell just one story
that explains it all.
During the
1999-2000 school year, our little club of 25 took on a
Rotary exchange student. We found a student in Russia that
could not afford the cost of the exchange program. Sharon
Richardson (the Rotary Youth Exchange Chairperson) suggested
to our Rotary Club that we award a scholarship to the
student. The club happily agreed.
Guzel Vagapova
(a typical teenager) was a remarkable young lady. Smart,
attractive, and polite, I quickly discovered that typical is
not an adjective that could be used to describe Guzel.
Once during a
Rotary presentation someone asked her how she used her
monthly Rotary stipend of 75 U.S. dollars. She looked down
at her feet and in a barely audible voice responded, “I
don’t spend it. How can I go home to mother Russia and tell
my parents that I spent on luxuries more than they make
together in a month?"
When Guzel
departed the U.S. she took every dime she received home to
help defray her father’s medical bills. He was suffering
from a brain tumor. Penny, my wife and a fellow Rotarian,
asked her one day what she wanted out of life? She
responded, “My dream is to marry a man who will not beat me
and will not get drunk every night.”
Most of us would
consider this “dream” a nightmare. Penny quickly told her
that she needed to “dream bigger.”
For the next few
months Penny reminded Guzel daily that she needed to go to
the University and get a good education. Guzel responded
each time by telling Penny that in her family “girls did not
go to college.” Penny insisted that Guzel find out the cost
of a four-year college education in Russia. To our club’s
amazement we found it cost only US $1000.00 to do this. Our
club raised the $1000.00 needed to ensure that an education
was within Guzel’s grasp. We were soon delighted to learn
that Guzel had graduated from the University with a degree
in English.
Over the years
we’ve kept in touch with Guzel. Last year we found out that
sadly her father had lost his battle with brain cancer.
After the death
of her father, her mother approached Guzel to leave Russia
due to the sagging economy. “You have no future here, you
need to leave if you can,” her mother pleaded with her. The
devoted daughter resisted at first but then asked Penny if
she could come to the United States of America where “dreams
come true.” Penny began to check into the process. The
immigration process is extremely cumbersome if you wish to
come to this country legally. It requires an U.S. employer
to offer a good paying job ($16.00 per hour) and guarantee
employment. It requires a place to live, transportation, and
so much more. Penny has worked feverishly over the last year
to overcome one obstacle after another to get Guzel from
Russia to the U.S.A.
The final
obstacle to getting her here was the cost of obtaining an
H1-BVISA and airfare - $6,500.00.
I approached our
Rotary club of 25 members and asked if we should accept the
challenge of bringing Guzel from Russia to the U.S. To give
this former exchange student an opportunity to change her
life for the better.
Why am I a
Rotarian? It is because Chris Christensen immediately
said, “I remember her, I will give $1,500.00 to help get her
here.” Brenda Cole who has never met Guzel shouted out, “I
will match that $1,500.00.” Sharon Richardson, who hosted
Guzel for part of the year while she was an exchange student
said, “Count me in for $1,000.00.” Kevin Tominey, a new
Rotarian for a little less than one year said, “I’ll donate
$500.00.” Within a matter of a few more minutes, the entire
$6,500.00 amount was raised. It was just a minute later that
our club agreed that Guzel would pay the amount when she
could and this money would be placed into a fund to help
others in similar situations. It was suggested by President
Jason Campbell that the new fund be called the “Guzel Fund”.
Why am I a
Rotarian?
Because I have the honor and blessing to associate with
people who practice the motto, “Serve Above Self” and helped
to turn a little girl’s nightmare into the dream of a better
tomorrow.
Kelly C.
Atkinson, PDG
A proud member
of the West Jordan Rotary Club, Utah USA
District 5420
