Posted on Feb 18, 2022
Jim O'Hanlon is from Blair, Nebraska - a 4th generation Blair resident on both his mother's and father's families.
Jim recalls when he was in 5th grade there was a serious outbreak of Polio in Blair - all of the victims were high school students. The impact of that is part fo the reason he is interested in Rotary.
 
He shared that his father was a very dedicated member of Rotary. The club met at the Congregational Church. The church provided the meals for Rotary as a fundraiser. His mother chaired the church lunch group so he was often called on to help as a child.
 
He always knew he would be a member of Rotary at some point because of these influences on his life.
 
A number of years ago he joined the Lincoln Northeast Rotary Club (now Lincoln East). But the evening meeting schedule, his young family, and his teaching did not work well together.
 
Later he visited his son's club in Oregon. He got inspired to join Rotary again and, upon return to Lincoln, searched for information on the internet. Having found Lincoln South Rotary as a good fit, he started to attend as a visitor and then became a member.
 
(By the way, his son visited our club along with friends when Nebraska played Oregon in a football game.)
 
Jim is committed to the 4-Way Test and feels that our country would benefit from more people - leaders - taking this pledge and living it.
 
He also is impressed with the International Service of Rotary and reads the Rotarian Magazine regularly to keep up on the vast reach of Rotary. He recalled a trip to Barcelona when he first realized how International Rotary was - there was a sign "Rotary Meets Here". Unfortunately it was not a time/day that worked with his visit schedule/
 
He shared that, when he was in 7th grade he had a crush on a girl. They would do everything together - bicycling, roller skating, hiking, dances, movies. She became his girlfriend and then his wife. Last August they celebrated their 62nd Wedding Anniversary.