President’s Message
Jeffrey J. Howard, Club President
Welcome to the Rotary Club of Salem, Virginia. For over 71 years, our club of committed men and women have been providing service to the communities of Salem, Roanoke, and others throughout the world. We are sponsors of Olde Salem Days, the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament, and the Star B-Q – our main fundraisers. We are committed to helping our community and the world through projects such as Christmas for Kids, Little Free Libraries, Rotary Park, Rotary Dog Park, International Youth Exchange, and End Polio Now, just to name a few. The Rotary Club of Salem makes annual contributions to over 40 different civic and community nonprofit organizations throughout the Valley. Our reach extends internationally to joint Rotarian projects in Colombia, Brazil, Haiti, Eastern Europe, and beyond, to provide clean water, education assistance, medical care, and disaster relief.
You may also know the Rotary Club of Salem through our recognition of outstanding citizens and students in our community, who typify the values and ethics espoused by Rotary International. Club sponsored awards such as the Roy W. Henrickson Outstanding Citizen Award, The Service Above Self Vocational Award, The Jostens Trophy and Salem Education Foundation Scholarships help us identify individuals who exemplify the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self.”
Salem Rotarians work hard every day by investing resources in community, vocational, and international service. Our commitment to Salem, Roanoke, and the surrounding areas has inspired us to raise more than $1 million for charity and community service programs throughout the Roanoke Valley, Southwest Virginia, and the world. However, most of our members will tell you it is the fellowship and lasting friendships that they cherish and find most rewarding.
Our members include business leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs, tradespeople, and government officials who make “Service Above Self” a part of their daily lives. To find out more, peruse our website and follow us on Facebook. We invite you to attend one of our meetings, which are held at noon on Thursdays at the Salem Civic Center. We are always looking for people who are interested in opening opportunities for others.
