(Credit: Rotary Club of North Penn)
"I am so thankful to the Rotary and their steadfast work to the entire North Penn area and look forward to another century of service with them by our side."
Earlier this week I was honored to attend and be the keynote speaker at North Penn Rotary’s Centennial Anniversary Gala where we celebrated 100 years of service to our community. The following is an excerpt from my speech about the incredible value North Penn Rotary has brought to all of us and how their service has helped both the people and the communities around them reach where we are today.
I am so thankful to the Rotary and their steadfast work to the entire North Penn area and look forward to another century of service with them by our side.
Prepared speech to North Penn Rotary at their Centennial Anniversary Gala, 10/15/2024
It is a profound honor to stand before you today as we celebrate an extraordinary milestone — 100 years of service, dedication, and unwavering commitment by the North Penn Rotary Club. One hundred years a full century of men and women, from all walks of life, coming together, not for personal glory, not for gain, but for the betterment of the community and the welfare of the people. This is a rare and noble thing. It reflects the highest virtues of citizenship. This moment allows us to look back with pride, to recognize all that has been achieved through the sweat of our brows, through grit and determination — but also to prepare ourselves for the work that still lies ahead. For we must always look to the future, to the battles that remain to be fought, the mountains yet to be climbed.
It is easy to talk of service, to speak of helping others, but this club has proven that words without action are meaningless. It has shown, in every decade of its existence, that the real test of character is not in what we say, but in what we do. And this club has been doing — day in and day out, year after year — for a hundred long, fruitful years. It is, as has been often said, not the critic who counts, not the one who points out how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done better. No, it is the person who steps into the arena, who dares greatly for the sake of others. And North Penn Rotary Club has stepped into that arena time and time again.
From the very start, this Rotary Club has been a rallying point for those who believe in the power of service, in the nobility of action. Whether it was underwriting the loan for Memorial Park in our early days, or stepping up during the war years to buy War Bonds and gather scrap metal, this club has always answered the call. In times of national and local need, the men and women of this club didn’t wait for someone else to act. They took it upon themselves to rise to the occasion, to lead by example, and to ensure that their community was stronger for it. And as the years went on, Rotary’s influence only grew and your impact deepened. You supported North Penn Hospital when healthcare was needed most. You created scholarships for our young people, ensuring that the future of this community would be strong and filled with opportunity. Time and again, this club has answered the needs of its people.
Think, for a moment, about the projects accomplished. These are not mere gestures. They are lasting, tangible efforts that have shaped the very foundation of this community. You’ve built parks where children play, organized food drives when our neighbors were in need, and created opportunities for young men and women to rise above their circumstances. And what is more, these projects do not simply represent a moment in time. They are the legacy of our belief that every community is stronger when its people work together. These efforts are living testaments to the power of unity and shared purpose. Parks and playgrounds, scholarships and charitable festivals — these are the things that outlast us all, the things that speak to the very soul of what it means to live a life of service.
This club — and every man and woman in it — has been a force for good because it understands the duty we have to each other. And that duty is never more evident than in times of crisis. When disaster strikes, when hard times fall, the North Penn Rotary does not sit idly by. We do not wring our hands and hope for better days. No, we roll up our sleeves, we act, and we face the challenge head-on. It is in these moments of great trial that true character is revealed. And I can say without hesitation that in each moment of adversity, the Rotary Club has risen to the occasion. Whether during a global pandemic, an economic downturn, or a natural disaster, Rotary has always been there, ready to do what needs to be done. This club stands as a bulwark against hardship, a beacon of hope for those in need, and a reminder that when good people unite for a cause, there is no storm too great, no challenge too daunting.
That is leadership. Not in title, but in action. It is the kind of leadership that this nation, this community, and indeed the world needs more of. And Rotary has provided it — for a century. Whether through Lansdale Day, which grew from a humble flea market into a festival that supports our local charities, or through programs like RYLA that instill in our youth the values of service and leadership, this club has taken bold, decisive action to ensure that the future remains bright.
And make no mistake — the future is what we must always keep our eyes upon. For all that we have accomplished, there is still much to be done. The work of service, of leadership, of shaping the next generation is never finished. We must not grow complacent. We must continue to strive, to challenge ourselves, and to seek out new ways to serve. I have always believed in the importance of preparing the young for the challenges they will face. And as a former RYLArian, I can tell you personally that the investments we make in our youth today will pay dividends tomorrow. They are the future leaders, the future statesmen, the future builders of our society. They are the ones who will lead this club, this community, and indeed this country into the next hundred years.
As we reflect on these 100 years of service, let us not only celebrate what has been, but also commit ourselves to what will be. There is no greater gift we can offer future generations than a thriving, compassionate community, and that is what I believe the North Penn Rotary will continue to build. Our journey is far from over. The challenges of tomorrow await, and North Penn Rotary will be there, just as you have always been, with compassion, determination, and an unwavering belief in the power of community.
Together, you have built something extraordinary. And together, you will continue to create lasting change for the next 100 years, keeping all North Penn moving forward, together.
Thank you, and may we ever press onward!
(Mayoral Musings is a weekly op-ed column submitted to North Penn Now, courtesy of Lansdale Borough Mayor Garry Herbert. The views expressed are his own and are not representative of North Penn Now or Lansdale Borough.)
