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Banos Rotary Club History
Rev. Coleman Cites Responsibility For Community Service
One of the important things that make America great is the fact that busy people take time out to do things, without renumeration, for their community.
Thus did Rev. Harold Coleman, pastor of the local Methodist Church, describe Community Service to members of the Rotary Club Tuesday noon.
"What kind of a world and what kind of life would we have today," Rev. Coleman emphasized, "if every business man, craftsman and worker merely opened his office or turned to his craft at the beginning of the day, sold merchandise or applied his craft through the business hours and went home to end the day without having done something good for the other fellow somewhere along the way."
"I am glad," he said "that Americans are busy doing voluntary things." Applying this thought to this community, Rev. Coleman pointed out that community service is one of the four primary objects of Rotary, and he commended the men of the club for the effort, both as a club and as individuals, that is done in the way of community service. As examples, he cited the volunteer community service done by the men and women who serve on the local school boards, in community government, on the Community Chest, Red Cross, Cancer Society, Hospital Guild, Boy and Girl Scout work, and the dozen other community tasks that must be done by those who are willing to give of their spare time to improve the community and the lot of their fellow man.
Declaring that such service brings its own reward in happiness, peace of mind and the knowledge of having done good, Rev. Coleman pointed out that history records the fact that the greatest people are those who serve the most. As an example he cited Christ, eternally remembered and reveled because all he did was to serve others.
Today, he concluded, America needs a new conception and a new consecration to brotherhood, and to unselfish community service.
May 29, 1953