Several weeks ago, I began visiting businesses in southeast Portland on behalf of the Southeast Portland Rotary Club, which I joined last summer. Rotary clubs are essentially about friendship and service. To be completely honest, I've yet to really identify how I wish to serve the southeast Portland community. I figured that finding a way to serve my club was a good start.
We would like to expand our membership, of course (what vital organization doesn't?) There are lots of ways to promote an organization, but intuitively, I felt a personal touch was best. So, I took to the streets about a month ago with the simple intention of inviting people in local businesses to join us for lunch (on us) at Our Lady of Sorrows Parrish Hall where our club meets every Monday.
My efforts haven't resulted in any new members yet, but I have confidence that that will come in time. Truth is, I've really enjoyed simply getting out into the community and meeting local business owners. It's been satisfying in ways I will do my best to communicate as I continue to make weekly reports.
This blog actually wasn't my idea. I was talking with incoming club president Fred Kupel (I think of him affectionately as Fred the Kupel, a nickname inspired by my memory of the 70's English rock band Mott the Hoople) about some of my adventures, and he suggested that I write the blog to document my efforts on behalf of the club. So Fred, this is for you.
Today I had a fairly limited amount of time, so I drove directly to The Floor Store at 5628 SE Woodstock, which is actually just a few blocks away from Our Lady of Sorrows. One of our patients at Beeson Wellness Center, where I work as an associate chiropractor, suggested to me recently that he thought the owners of the Floor Store might have an interest in Rotary. So I went to explore that possibility. Unfortunately, they were not there. But I took their contact information and added their email addresses to an electronic mailing list I send out every week to prospective members.
After I left the Floor Store, I walked across the street to Alive MMA, a Brazilian martial arts studio. A class was in session (it reminded me just a tiny bit of the scene from the movie "The Karate Kid" where the bad-ass sensei is teaching the Cobra kai to "show no mercy." I left a flyer at the front desk, and on the way out, I met Winslow Jenkins, Gym Manager. Apparently, he runs the place for owner Bill Bradley.
My last stop today was at Mezza Middle Eastern Cuisine, where I talked to the owner, Vivian Semaan. I had a delicious bowl of lentil soup before I left. I really wanted falafel with hummus and tahini and other yummy stuff. But when you work as closely as a I do with patients every day, garlic and onions is not such a good idea. Anyway, the soup, served with pita bread hot out of the oven, was amazing! I said I'd spread the word, and so I have.
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