Who can resist free lunch?

Last Wednesday night, I had the privilege and honor of being installed as the president of the Rotary Club of Wallowa County for the 2018-19 Rotary year.

It’s a great group of people who all have a heart for the community, both across the street and across the oceans.

Like most service clubs, we’ve struggled a bit to keep membership steady and growing. So this year, we are going to conduct an all-out recruitment campaign for new members.

Here’s a proposal for you. Consider this your invitation to come out Wednesday at noon at St. Katherine of Siena Catholic Church parish hall, 301 E Garfield St., Enterprise, and sit in on a meeting and one of our tremendous programs.

If you call us on Monday and let us know you’re coming, lunch is on us. You can spend some time “kicking the tires” and see if Rotary might not be a good spot for you to contribute your time and talent.

A lot has changed in the past few years in Rotary. Come and learn more.

Wallowa County Commissioner Susan Roberts will be our guest speaker this week (today). Future programs include a visit from former Rotary exchange student Yasmin Amien from Cape Town, South Africa July 11. Sondra Lozier will be on hand to fill us in about Hells Canyon Mule Days and what’s on tap for this year’s performances July 18.

And put on your boots and hats and get ready to celebrate Chief Joseph Days with a variety of rodeo dignitaries on hand July 25.

See you there. Call me at the Chieftain if you’d like to have lunch.

SPEAKING OF Rotary, our next big adventure is the Lostine River Run July 7. This event has normally been the last weekend in June, but due to the way Independence Day falls on the calendar this year, it was moved.

You can get all the details at lostineriverrun.itsyourrace.com. The race is the club’s major fundraiser for scholarships for Wallowa County high school seniors.

JULY 4 WILL also be a tremendous day in Wallowa with the grande parade, lunch, quilt show, history center open house and entertainment.

This is without question the best commemoration of Independence Day in Wallowa County.

If you think about it, bring a new unopened toy for the Wallowa County Bikers and Friends Toys for Tots collection. There will be a place on the parade route for you to drop off your donation.

After celebrating your brains out in Wallowa, make plans to head over to Wallowa Lake at dusk for “Shake the Lake” fireworks display. It will be a grand show.

The event is sponsored by the Wallowa County Chamber of Commerce, which is in the process of raising the thousands of dollars necessary to produce public fireworks displays.

If you would like to donate, contact the chamber. Makers of donations of more that $25 will be entered into a drawing to win a flight for two over the Wallowas, offered by Northeast Oregon Aviation Foundation.

Finally, deadlines for the Chieftain will be moved up this week to accommodate getting the paper published and mailed on Tuesday, July 3.