By: Carol Madsen, Ron Smith and Patti SmithSome newer Rotarians in our District are actually long time Rotarians who transferred from elsewhere. Such is the case of Ron and Patti Smith, both now members of the Fryeburg Area RC. Covid had them realize they could move to a part of the country they love and still remotely maintain their company in eastern Pennsylvania. With a few questions like, how did you get involved in Rotary and how did you end up at the Fryeburg Area club, the rest was easy.
How They Got Involved, And What Did that Involvement Entail?
Ron was a founding member of the Blue Bell RC in eastern Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. In his 33 years of Rotary, he has served as Club President, in many other club and district roles, and went on to serve as District 7430 Governor in 2006. After that, Ron contributed in many roles including District 7430 Rotary Foundation Chair and Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator for Zone 32, where he assisted leaders in 20 Northeast USA districts in all aspects of the Rotary Foundation. Ron and Patti are Major Donors and Bequest Society Members to the Rotary Foundation. For his work Ron is a recipient of the Rotary Foundation’s Citation for Meritorious Service.
Ron’s passion for international service has been fulfilled through Rotary by his serving as District 7430 Youth Exchange Chair, ESSEX (Eastern States Student Exchange) Youth Protection Officer and Country Contact and D-7430 World Community Service and Matching Grants Chair. In these roles he has organized many youth exchanges and through the Rotary Foundation he has had the privilege of contributing to many grants including a humanitarian grant to Bosnia/Serbia for delivering over 1,000 wheelchairs, visiting Bosnia in 2011. Ron has organized and led three Vocational Training Team / humanitarian Rotary Foundation Global Grants to bring improved Maternal and Child Healthcare in Uganda. Ron also planned and completed several other grants, distributing Solar Suitcases in 25 Health Centers in Uganda and installing Solar Powered Well systems in Mbale, Uganda. Through this international work Ron has received Honorary Memberships in the Rotary Clubs of Sarajevo (Bosnia-Herzegovina) and the Kampala North (Uganda).
Patti joined Rotary after hosting students in the Youth Exchange Program and she with Ron has hosted over 40 exchange students. She served as the Blue Bell Rotary’s Club’s Youth Exchange Officer, its President and as Club Secretary. Her Rotary passion led Patti to other District 7430 roles as Youth Exchange Chair and as Assistant Governor. Patti also caught the International Service “bug” going on a Rotaplast mission to Peru in 2005 and served on D-7430’s Rotaplast committee to raise funding and awareness. For her roles in Youth Exchange, Patti is recipient of Rotary’s Service Above Self Award.
What brought them to NE and to D-7780?
In the time before COVID Ron and Patti were trying to figure an “exit plan” from owning their own company. Having a daughter and two granddaughters south of Boston, moving back to New England made sense. But also with a son, a pediatrician in Long Beach CA, they figured an eventual “retirement” to NE would work since they could visit California when the NE winters got a bit too long. Ron and Patti figured out how to run their materials engineering company remotely and pulled up stakes and moved permanently to Center Conway, NH in 2020, not far from Fryeburg ME and the D-7780 border. Ron and Patti love the area’s lakes, mountains and nature. As hikers, skiers, golfers and campers, the Mount Washington Valley suits them well.
As they moved into the Mount Washington Valley area, they looked for a Rotary club to serve that had great fellowship, made a difference locally, and where they could contribute from the get-go. They chose the Fryeburg Area Rotary Club and D-7780 since it met their hopes and gave them an excellent chance to continue their Rotary journey.
Since “landing” in Fryeburg Area RC and D-7780, they have not let the grass grow under their feet. Patti and Ron are on the Fryeburg Area RC’s Fryeburg Fair potato booth fundraising committee, support its Interact Club activities at Fryeburg Academy, and serve other club administrative roles. Ron serves on the D-7780 District International Committee, its Youth Exchange Committee, and is the D-7780 Rotary Foundation Major Donor Chair. Patti is Fryeburg RC’s Executive Secretary, a member of D-7780 Youth Exchange Committee, and remains the ESSEX Inbound Coordinator.
THEY LOVE ROTARY, its service and its fellowship. Joining Fryeburg RC and D-7780 has made their transition to their new NE home very easy!
Ron and Patti, we’re glad you chose us.