TITLE: Rotaract Rocks! AUTHOR: Ryan DATE: 6/27/2008 09:01:00 AM —– BODY:

I love the Rotary Club. My dad has always been very active in this international service organization, and my mom, I have to say, is somewhat of a Rotary groupie. In fact, when I put her in charge of my San Francisco love life in my mid-30s, she insisted that I join the local chapter to meet men.

So I did.

And I'll just be honest. It was mostly old men. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Just wasn't my target market. However, there were a few young members who became very good friends. And I ended up taking mom and dad to a meeting one time when they came to visit.

Here's my mom: "Gosh, they're old."

Here's me: "Yeah, thanks. And I'm out about $500 in membership dues with nary a date."

The best part the whole thing, though, was when my old college boyfriend and now-husband Googled me a few years ago — 20 years had passed since graduation, and luckily the Internet had come along — my name and my dad's name came up on the San Francisco club's Web site because of that visit.

That Google result helped assure my now-husband that the other Mary Thorsby hits he'd come across did, indeed, add up to the same Mary Thorsby he dated a very long time ago. Voilá, love connection re-connected. And, in fact, one of my Rotary friends even came to our wedding.

So as far as I'm concerned, Rotary rocks and I recommend it to anyone. Especially single folks.

OK, so that's the very long set up for this piece of news: The Paducah Rotary chapter recently chartered a new Rotaract Club for young people, ages 18-30. While it's certainly not a singles group — and they'll probably get mad at me for implying that it is because it's totally not — I'm just saying that if you're in that age group and single (or married, but I ain't worried 'bout y'all), you should join.

And just look who cute they are:


That's Brian Settle, Jessica Zaugg, Justin Barr (PR/marketing chair, Emily Scott (service/social chair), Emily Cahen, Crystal Spurlock, Crystal Jeter (president), Chuck Sexton (vice president), Christopher Jeter (sergeant at arms), Carrie Moore (secretary), Lauren Wallace, Clay Wallace and cute cute, cute Jessica Byassee. Other members include Jayme Brockman, cute, cute, cute Laqueta Perry, April Wolfrom, John Pace (treasurer) and Sean McGuire.

The group's next meeting is 6 p.m., Monday, July 7, at the McCracken County Library. Meetings are the first Monday of the month, followed by a social gathering — yoo-hoo! — typically held on the third Thursdays. For more info, call Justin Barr, 725.1667, or send him an email.

Congratulations to these super cute folks for taking the initiative to form this great group! And when an old flame Googles you one of these days, I hope he or she finds you here!

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