SMETHPORT (EC) — Rotary District Governor Judith Hughes of District 7280 noted the importance of sustaining membership Tuesday when she visited the Smethport Rotary Club at the Desert Rose Café.

Referring to a goal of Rotary International President Ian Riseley of Australia, Hughes said, “If we want younger members, we must think along those lines. Some ways that have been successful in enlisting new members: have been bi-weekly or monthly meetings. In some cases, project meetings have been effective, since many younger people don’t want to sit through business meetings.”

In keeping with the tradition of Rotary International presidents adopting a project, Riseley, who has an interest in the environment, has decided to have every Rotarian in the 1.2 million-member service organization plant a tree.

According to Hughes, Rotary District 7280 will order trees from a Harrisburg nursery. David Seipp will take orders for the Smethport club. Hughes said the trees will be delivered in April and are slated to be planted prior to Earth Day, April 22, 2018.

Hughes spoke briefly about one of her projects, 211, a non-profit social service opportunity that assists people with psychological services, heating assistance and jobs for veterans.

Hughes also informed the Rotarians about Rotary endorsed Crutches4Africa, a Colorado-based organization that collects used and surplus mobility devices, such as used crutches, elbow crutches, wheelchairs, leg braces, walkers and baby joggers and strollers and ships them to developing countries and distributes them to people with physical challenges regardless of their race, gender, tribe, age or religion.

Smethport Rotarian Phil Smith is district chairman for Crutches4Africa.

Rotary District 7280 covers a large geographical urban-rural area, with 44 clubs from Erie to the outskirts of Pittsburgh. “Every club is different,” Hughes said, “and we make it work.”

Hughes’s husband, Jim, also a Rotarian, accompanied his wife for this visit.