Poem by RI Representative, Mark Kriebel
WHAT MORE CAN I SAY, BUT
WHEN PRESIDENT BARRY ASKED ME TO GO
AND REPRESENT HIM AT DISTRICT SIX TWO NINE OH,
I TOLD HIM I WAS HONORED AND PLEASED,
AND SAULT STE MARIE IS A DESTINATION INDEED!
SO I WROTE GOVERNOR BRIAN AND ASKED HIM PONT BLANK,
BRIAN, I SAID, WILL YOU LET ME BE FRANK,
I’M FROM NEW YORK, SO I MAY NEED TO TWEAK,
MY MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT BARRY, SO TO SPEAK,
SO CANADIAN EARS ARE ATTUNED TO MY PHRASES,
OF SIX TWO NINE OH, AS I SING YOUR PRAISES,
SO BRIAN ASSURED ME, AAY, NOT TO FEAR,
MOST OF OUR ROTARIANS CAN’T REALLY HEAR,
AND THOSE THAT CAN WILL LIKELY CHEER,
AND, IF YOU SAY NICE THINGS ABOUT ‘EM, THEY’LL BUY YOU A BEER!
‘CAUSE THOSE IN THE SOO WILL HOLD YOU DEAR!
NOW - MY HOME IS NEW YORK, IN THE TOWN OF ENDWELL
AND ROTARY THERE IS ALIVE AND WELL
AND OUR PROJECTS ARE SWELL!
AND JUST LIKE YOU HERE, WE RING THE BELL,
WE SING A SONG AND STORIES WE TELL,
ABOUT THE GREAT THINGS ROTARY DOES SO WELL,
AND THE DIFFERENCE WE MAKE IN LIVES YOUNG AND OLD
LIKE YOURS, OUR PROJECTS ARE LIFE CHANGING AND BOLD!
WELL, WHILE HERE IN THE SOO I HOPE THAT PAT AND I HAVE A CHANCE,
TO, PERCHANSE, HAVE A DANCE OR ENGAGE IN ROMANCE,
BUT THAT’S NOT REALLY WHY WE’RE IN ATTENDANCE –
WE’RE HERE TO CELEBRATE SIXTY TWO NINETY’S ASCENDANCE
INTO THE TOP TIER OF ROTARYS ELITE,
A DISTRICT THAT IS NEAT, SWEET, AND A TREAT ABOUT WHICH I’LL TWEET!
YOUR FOUNDATION GIVING IS TOPS –
YOUR DISTRICT NEVER STOPS –
YOUR SERVICE PROJECTS ARE GRAND,
AND STRETCH ACROSS THE LAND,
AND BEYOND,
WHERE THE GOOD YOU DO FORMS AN INTERNATIONAL BOND,
OF GOODWILL, ON BOTH SIDES OF THE POND!
YOUR WORK HERE IN YOUR DISTRICT IS TRULY AMAZING,
FROM TRAVERSE CITY, TO CADILLAC TO WAWA AND GRAYLING!
IN GRAND RAPIDS, PETOSKY, MUSKEGON, AND BELLAIRE,
THE PROJECTS YOU DO SHOW YOUR CLUBS REALLY CARE!
YOU ARE SERVICE ABOVE SELF, FROM HOLLAND TO HART
YOU CAN COUNT ON YOUR CLUBS TO ALL DO THEIR PART!
SO, WHY ARE WE HERE TODAY?
WHY DO WE STAY,
ENGAGED IN ROTARY SERVICE, DAY AFTER DAY?
IT’S THE GOOD FEELINGS WE GET WHEN WE GIVE MORE AND MORE,
IT’S OUR SUM – OUR SUBSTANCE – AND CERTAINLY OUR CORE!
AS I LOOK OUT TODAY ON THIS GREAT GROUP OF FRIENDS,
I KNOW THAT WE’LL BE SAD WHEN THIS WEEKEND ENDS,
FOR THE KINDNESS WE’ VE FELT FROM OUR AIDE DIANE AND THE ENTIRE COMMITTEE,
TO ALL OF YOU HERE WHO ARE WITTY AND PRETTY, THIS IS MY DITTY!
FROM PAST GOVERNOR ED TO DGE DAVE AND DGN JON,
YOUR DISTRICT LEADERSHIP IS DRAWN FROM THE UPPER ESCHELON,
OF ROTAIRANS FROM BALDWIN TO GAYLORD TO CHEBOYG(on)AN!
AND THEN THERE’S GOVERNOR BRIAN AND LEONA, A COUPLE BEYOND COMPARE,
A PAIR WITH AN AIR OF FLAIR AND CARE THAT CAN’T COMPARE WITH A BILLIONAIRE – I SWEAR!
A SON OF THE SOO, WHO, GREW BEAUCOUP NEW ROTARY MEMBERS – A BREAKTHROUGH!
SO, NEW FRIENDS WE ACCRUE, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO, TOO!
THESE FRIENDSHIPS WE GREW, I’LL CONSTRUE WE’LL PERSUE!
NOW LET ME REVIEW…
TO GET HERE WE FLEW,
THEN CROSSED BY THE BORDER CREW,
THROUGH TO THE SOO, WOO HOO!
THE GREAT BREW, THE FOOD CHEW, AND ALL OF YOU,
OUR TRUE AFFECTIONS GREW FOR THIS ROTARY ZOO AND THE PARTY YOU THREW!
WHEW!
PAT AND I ARE NOW BLUE SINCE THE CONFERENCE IS ALMOST THROUGH,
BUT WHEN YOU REMEMBER US TWO IN CONFERENCE PICTURES ANEW,
KNOW THAT, WE TOO,
ARE THINKING OF YOU!
ADIEU!