Noblitt continues leading Rotary
By Emily Sorensen
The Poway Rotary Club has reelected last year’s president, Alan Noblitt, to serve another term this year.
Alan Noblitt
“It’s a great group,” said Noblitt of the Poway Rotarians. “It takes a bit of work, but I’m going to try and make it better.”
Noblitt isn’t only dedicated to continuing and increasing the club’s service work, but to improve the club itself.
“A lot of people have this image of Rotary as an old boys networking club,” he said. “It’s about service.” Noblitt also said that almost half of the members of the Poway Rotary are women.
Poway Rotarians do service-oriented work locally and internationally, serving dinner at the Ronald McDonald House, weeding and painting on Poway’s Spirit Day, and volunteering to work at the Poway Senior Center, pulling up tiles and cleaning.
The Rotarians also donate more than their time to local kids in need. The club gave backpacks to about 40 low-income students in the school district, and continued their tradition of giving free dictionaries to third graders. Noblitt said he was worried that with the rising digital age, children wouldn’t need paper dictionaries anymore, but teachers assured him the dictionaries were needed. “The teachers are always grateful,” Noblitt said of the dictionary donations.
Poway Rotarians also help internationally, providing micro-loans of $50 to $100 to Hondurans seeking to finance small businesses. Noblitt said the club raised almost $50,000 with the help of Rotary International.
Noblitt also said the club is looking into creating a new fundraiser, as some have become bored by the club’s traditional barbecue and auction. They are also hoping to set up a table to sell refreshments at the City of Poway’s Concerts in the Park free summer concert series.
For Noblitt, service isn’t something new. “I’ve always been involved in service organizations. Both my parents were Rotarians, and I was involved in Boy Scouts and Eagle Scouts.”
Noblitt joined Rotary in December of 2001, but resisted running for president of the Poway chapter until last year, due to his children. “Everything seems to be going well,” said Noblitt of his time as president. Noblitt’s new term will begin July 1 and last until June 30, 2013, but he won’t be running for a third term.
“I want us to be more hands-on,” said Noblitt of his hopes for the club’s upcoming year. “And I want to build up more awareness [of the Rotary Club] in Poway, and build up more membership.”
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Short URL: http://www.pomeradonews.com/?p=26255
Posted by Emily Sorensen
on Jun 28 2012. Filed under Clubs.
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