An Annual Letter to My Fellow Rotarians (2020)

I write this feeling completely lost. For two years, I obsessed over the Pacific Crest Trail. I researched, practiced, saved, and raised support for both myself and Rotary’s efforts to eradicate Polio from the face of the Earth. On March 13th, I began my journey. A good friend from Los Angeles dropped me off and I took the first actual steps toward realizing a dream that had become a consuming thought.

Within four days, my dream was over. Of all the reasons I could have imagined forcing me off this beautiful stretch of trail running from the border of Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon, and Washington, I would have never thought a global pandemic would be the reason.

Now, I find myself back in Seattle, six months earlier than expected. My partner and I are living with his family. I am jobless, homeless, heartbroken, and searching. Still, I am not without hope. Standing behind me when I decided to move to Los Angeles and supporting me when I decided to hike the trail has always been my fellow Rotarians. Now, in my current situation, it is them I am leaning on once again. This raises something interesting we don’t talk about enough when we speak of Rotary, the friendships.

Rotary is known the world over for its philanthropy and community service. Local readers of the paper know Rotary for scholarships or…