From The Publisher

I am humbled to be a member of the Rotary Club of Madison.

The extraordinary people who define this club truly make it special.

This group is made up of leaders and citizens who dedicate many hours finding ways to improve our global and local communities.

Rotary International’s common goal is to eradicate polio from the planet. As stated on Rotary.org, “By 2012, only three countries remain polio-endemic.”

As we continue the polio fight globally, we also look within the City of Madison and find ways to improve the quality of life here.

The Rotary Youth Leadership Awards held each year is only one way Rotary reaches our local youth.

The January 2015 program hosted 106 students from all over North Alabama including 11 from Madison. Its goal each year is to help build young scholar leaders and to encourage them to become community-minded citizens.

Karen Morris, district Rotary Youth Leadership Awards chairperson and a Rotary Club of Madison member, has been leading this effort for several years.

Morris has dedicated countless volunteer hours managing this program and other Rotary service projects.

Morris is a Rotarian who embodies our motto, “service above self.”

Another Rotary member who lives our motto daily is our Rotary Club of Madison President Steve Croomes.

Croomes led the charge in forming one of the newest Rotary service projects, Free Rice & Beans.

The Free Rice & Beans project directly impacts Madison by offering food to those in need. The Madison Salvation Army store graciously hosts this effort on the last Saturday of each month.

Karen Morris and Steve Croomes are two talented and thoughtful club members in a group of many.

The members of the Rotary Club of Madison as well as other civic organizations in our community inspire me by their acts of generosity each week.

It will be The Madison Record and Madison County Record’s honor to share these good deeds with our community.