Why I joined and why I stay in Rotary – Ron McDonald
St. Marys is the first small community that I have lived in and I was struck by the familiarity everyone seemed to have with each other. It was new to me.  So when Linda Schuyler came into ValuMart and asked if I would come out to Rotary as a guest and then to join the local club, I felt it would be a great way to meet people by becoming more involved in everyday activities.
 
After I joined Rotary, I found it to be much more than I expected and that the experience benefitted me much more than I think I benefitted the club. I found out what Rotary was all about and I enjoy being part of it. I met a lot of strangers who took an interest in me and later became friends. I became involved for the first time with a group of people who are committed to making the world a better place, a new and refreshing view of things for the sceptic I once was.
 
But most of all the largest benefit I gained from Rotary is how it has changed me. I have become more aware of the world and community around me and more sensitive to the hardships of others.
 
Ron McDonald