Dr. Whitlock has been in Rotary for over 25 years. When Dr. Whitlock was a principal in Duarte Unified School District, she was asked to join the Rotary of Duarte. She was the second woman to join the Duarte Club and it was because of the membership of women that Duarte was removed as an official Rotary Club. At that time, women we not allowed membership in the Rotary Club. Duarte sued Rotary International and won which changed the face of Rotary forever and for the better! Dr. Whitlock went on the be the first woman Rotary President and is now District Governor.

Dr. Whitlock grew up in Jamaica with her grandmother. Her grandmother was a tremendous example of service above self to Sylvia from a very early age. She would shop for others, cook for others, and give freely of the things that she had. Sylvia asked her grandmother, “Why are you doing this?” Her grandmother said, “Because people with do the same thing for you and your children. And you just pass it on.”  Sylvia’s grandmother was passing on what she knew she wanted to world to be. Sylvia says, “We weren’t rich or privileged, but we had enough to share and isn’t that what it’s all about… having enough to share.” Years later Dr. Whitlock worked for the United Nations. It was then that she started donating blood as a way of giving back. Little did she know then that she would have a child that would be dependent on blood transfusions for her very life. Dr. Whitlock experienced the blessing in return.

Joining Rotary intensified her need to be involved in service. By joining, she was given the gift of being a service-oriented member of society.  “In Rotary we have the ability to address many of the heart-wrenching needs we see in society,” says Dr. Whitlock. “We respond with our hands and feet in places like Tecate, India, and Costa Rica. We respond to the needs wherever they may be.”

So why doesn’t everybody know about Rotary? We need to share with others this great way to collectively give back and make a difference in the world. “Our goal in Rotary is to make the world a better place: cleaner, healthier, more self-sustaining, happier and more peaceful that when we came into it. Can we do that?” Applause and “Yes” from the crowd…

[by John Wilson]