Last night, I cochaired the Access Community Health Center Dinner with fellow Rotarian Brad Hutter and former Rotarian Jeanan Yasiri.  At the end of the night, I had a napkin full of pin/no pin notes (more on that below) and realized that there is something more important:  Actually talking with people.

Whether or not Rotarians had on their pins became the topic of conversation and at the end of the night, I felt the absence of more meaningful exchanges.  I feel like I have created a parable about elevating a symbol to importance and through that learning the importance of what it stands for: friendship and fellowship.

That said, we did have some fun and we are about to have some more.

Since “busted” started, we had a trial run on election night.  I was just back from vacation and not in Presidential mode or prepared to record names but I did learn some valuable lessons: Not everyone has read the rules.  Frank Byrne and I were both in casual clothes (i.e. not acceptable at the Madison Club) and not wearing pins.  We were not fineable. If you are not wearing a pin and if you ask me if enough Rotarians are present to earn a make up, there should be a whole new class of fine for you.  If you are wearing a different pin, it doesn’t count.

I am too busy during our weekly meeting to play “busted,” but I understand pin sales have been swift at the button box.

Otherwise, here is my report for April thus far:

4/15 @ the new Union South.  Dawn Crim=busted. (Dawn: no pin + me: pin = $1 to MRF).

4/19 @ YMCA HQ. Carrie Wall=busted. Me=busted. (Carrie: no pin + me: no pin = $2 or a buck each).

4/27 @ UW Hospital. Larry Zanoni= not busted! We were both wearing our pins!

4/28 @ ACHC dinner:

No pin: Brian Fick, Mark Moody, Kevin Huddleston (pin he was wearning did not count), Kathryne McGowan, Virginia Henderson (I know, how can I fine Virginia), Susan Phillips, Cheryl DeMars, Suresh Chandra, Katharyn May, and Joan Collins. Several of the women listed were wearing jackets, esp Joan, that one would not stick a pin into.  That is sad.  I am sorry.  Joan’s story about wearing her Rotary bike shirt in line in Florida and meeting a fellow Rotarian doesn’t count but it’s a great story.  That is a whopping $10 to the MRF.

Certain people I just didn’t quite remember such as one who has bought four pins recently and reported the latest, a magnetic one, attached itself to her curling iron.

Pins on:

Perry Henderson (of course), Steve Goldberg (of course and extra credit for bringing pin for Rich Lynch to another event last week to save him a fine), George Nelson, Brad Hutter, Larry Zanoni and me!

Because I am a wise and just President, I will pay the $10 in fines for those at the ACHC dinner to say “thank you for coming even though you weren’t wearing your pin.” Also I have some mercy for our sgt at arms.  I however will dispatch Ann after Dawn and Carrie.

Tomorrow is Rotarians at Work Day and I dearly hope I can find my fluorescent yellow shirt from last year as that is far more effective than a pin.  Even if under a fleece (Rotary of course).