January 19, 2026 - Recently, Rotarian J. J. Ford visited Center Middle School and she spoke to twenty-four 8th grade girls, who are all members of the group known as My Sister Myself which is a service club.
Ford, a member of the Rotary Cub of Center, introduced the young girls to Rotary International, the world’s first service club, founded in 1905 by Paul Harris, a Chicago attorney. He envisioned a professional organization where people of diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form lifelong friendships. However, at that time, it did not include women.
She shared a short video with the girls which included some history of the Rotary Club International, such as Polio Eradication (1979–Present), and the eventual inclusion of women.
Following a 1987 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Rotary clubs worldwide began admitting women, who are now the fastest-growing segment of the organization.
She also shared the club’s motto - "Service Above Self.” This is also a principle MY SISTER MYSELF strives to practice, through the many service deeds they perform, such as: canned food drives, pulling trash from classrooms for custodians, buying caps and socks for senior citizens and presenting them to residents at nursing homes, working at food banks, and many other deeds. In fact, each girl has to have 5 out of 7 service points in order to travel on the spring college tour.
J.J. shared how the Rotary Club has donated over $1 million to the Roughrider Scholarship Foundation for graduating seniors. She also told the girls about many service projects Rotary of Center has done around the community such as providing ADA compliant equipment at Portacool Park for those with disabilities, contributing to youth sports parks, replacing carpet in the Redditt Room at the Fannie Brown Booth Memorial Library, and so much more.
J.J. wanted the girls to know that the service they’re doing now can carry over into the future. One day, they too can join the Rotary Club of Center and carry on the “motto” both groups now share.
