TEXARKANA, Texas - The Wilbur Smith Rotary Club welcomed Rotary District Gov. Jim Finstrom of Jefferson, Texas, as guest presenter during a meeting Thursday.
Over lunch at Northridge Country Club, Finstrom shared anecdotes about his life as a Rotarian and offered suggestions for recruiting new members and building
a strong organization.
Rotary is "a global powerhouse for doing good," Finstrom said, citing work providing clean water to villagers in Central America, immunizing people against polio in Africa and Pakistan and giving financial support to at-risk students.
"The clubs are where Rotary happens," he said. He recommended reducing or eliminating barriers to entry into Rotary, such as dues, and said veteran members should volunteer to mentor new recruits.
Clubs should include new members on boards and committees, he said.
Finstrom serves as district governor for more than 35 Rotary Clubs in Northeast Texas, Southeast Oklahoma and Southwest Arkansas. He practices law in Jefferson, where he is in his second term as an alderman on the city council. He served as Marion County, Texas, district attorney from 1993 to 2004.