I am honored to lead Farmingdale Breakfast Rotary as its president, especially now, in our centennial year. Rotary is one of the nation's preeminent service organizations, as shown by our motto "Service Above Self." A letter to the editor entitled "An 'Adequate Trustee'" in last week's issue gives me the opportunity to point out how more than 100 Rotary members in Farmingdale (who represent a cross-section of this community) alone help make the community and the world a better place. You've probably seen many of our programs around town - and been helped by them - without knowing that they're Rotary sponsored.

This year alone, The Farmingdale Breakfast Rotary and the Farmingdale Luncheon Rotary Clubs awarded more than $2000 in student scholarships, rung bells for the Salvation Army holiday drive (we raised more than $5000) and contributed to Farmingdale's food pantries including Outreach. Both clubs support programs for kids; the Farmingdale Breakfast Rotary has sponsored a local baseball team every summer for the past four years.

On a global level, each club contributes to the Gift of Life program which sponsors lifesaving heart surgery to children from underdeveloped countries. In the past six years, Farmingdale Breakfast Rotary has sponsored six Gift of Life children. One of our success stories was little Bianca Flores, 2. She and her mom were sponsored by the club for eight weeks until Bianca returned home to Venezuela a healthier child. Rotocare, located in Uniondale, is a Rotary program of volunteer nurses and doctors who provide free medical service to Long Island residents with no health care.

Paul P. Harris, an attorney, founded the world's first Rotary Club on February 23, 1905. He wished to recapture in a professional club the same friendly spirit he had felt in the small towns of his youth. Farmingdale is that small, friendly town. Through our hard work on many service goals, fellowship and goodwill, dedication to the Rotary creed of "service above self," plus the fine character of the members of the Farmingdale Breakfast Rotary and Luncheon Rotary Clubs have made our community a better place for young and old alike.

Farmingdale Breakfast Rotary meets on a weekly basis on Tuesday mornings at 7:30 am at the Spartan Diner, Conklin St. and Rte. 110. Come join us and help us to "Celebrate Rotary."

Tina Diamond, President

Farmingdale Breakfast Rotary