Why I Joined Rotary - Jim Dunny

In 2000, I heard the retiring senior pastor of the church my wife and I were attending announce that he would be the next president of the Rotary Club of San Diego.  Since moving to San Diego in 1974, I had briefly been a member of another organization, but that club folded.  At that time I was looking for a way to be involved in Rancho Bernardo, where I owned my own dental practice.  As a dentist, you meet people who are patients, but you don’t get to know people in the community.  At the annual RB Alive event in 2000, I went up to Rotarians who were in a booth at that event and inquired about how to become a member.  After attending several meetings of RB Sunrise Rotary, I joined the club in August. 
 
My initial reason for joining was to get to know people in RB.  However, the reason I have remained a member of RB Sunrise is that I became very impressed about what I learned about all the things that Rotary does to make a difference in people’s lives around the world. 
 
I was especially impressed with Rotary’s Polio Eradication effort.  I went to dental school at the University of Pittsburgh.  The dental school was built as an addition to the front of an old hospital where Jonas Salk did his polio vaccine research in the basement.  I can still remember the fact that after the Salk vaccine was proven to be effective, swimming pools that had been closed because of the fear of getting polio were reopened. 
 
I retired from the practice of dentistry 11 years ago.  In retirement I continue as a member of RB Sunrise because I get to help other leaders in RB raise money and support projects around the world.  RB Sunrise Rotary is a club that fosters community involvement and true caring for others. Most of us are involved in multiple organizations in the community.  We all share, however, the common goal of Service Above Self.