By Colleen Surridge

Parsons Sun

Freelance writer Mark Mitchell had never even attended a Rotary meeting, but after serving briefly as the freelance editor for "The Rotarian," Rotary's magazine, Mitchell was given "an unexpected assignment."

He was asked to spend 16 days driving across America on the old Route 66, from Chicago to Los Angeles, where the 2008 Rotary International Convention is being held June 15-18, said Parsons Rotary Club member Gary Pollmiller.

During the nearly 2,500-mile trip, he was asked to meet Rotarians along the way.

It was day three of Mitchell's trip after leaving Chicago when Route 66 brought him into the southeast corner of Kansas, through Galena and Baxter Springs. When Mitchell discovered no Rotary Clubs existed in those areas, he decided to veer off his designated path to find the nearest Rotary Club, which landed him in Parsons.

In the 15-page article printed in the newly released May issue of "The Rotarian," Parsons was glad to find mention of his visit here, even though Parsons was outside the designated coverage area.

"Mark was in Parsons October 25," Pollmiller said, adding that the club members had provided him lots of information.

Here, Mitchell was greeted by Parsons Rotary president Kelly Rector.

"There is a half-page photograph of Kelly Rector with Main Street buildings in the background and another photo of Glenn Fischer, our club's assistant governor," Pollmiller said. "The article mentions Rotarian Kenny Ervin and his work on the Parsons Arboretum, which our club adopted to help with improvements to the walking trails and other projects that require labor and funds."

"One thing that we, as residents, sometimes take for granted are the truly unique local sites," said Labette County tourism director Jim Zaleski. "It is common for residents to take for granted some very special things right in our own backyards; to visitors these are truly unique and interesting attractions."

What was most outstanding, Pollmiller said, is that Mitchell had never attended a Rotary meeting until he was in Parsons.

Mitchell described his experience, writing, "At lunchtime, I attended my first-ever Rotary meeting, on the second floor of the Parsonian Hotel. The meeting begins with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. Then a member of a two-school board presents a sophisticated analysis of educational policy and the teaching of literacy. When it comes time for questions and answers, Ken says he reckons it all comes down to the parents. Three generations of his family has been reading to their kids, and the kids all turned out OK."

After the meeting, Mitchell tells how Fischer then piloted him to Coffeyville, leading on his fully loaded Honda Goldwing. It is there that Fischer introduces Mitchell to Rotarians Bob Elznic, Debbie Carter and Lisa Kuehn.

Pollmiller said it was an honor to have Mitchell attend his first-ever Rotary meeting in Parsons.

Kari West, Parsons public information officer, said this is the second time in two months that the city of Parsons has been highlighted in an international magazine.

"In April, Parsons was named to 'Outdoor Life's' top 10 Whitetail Cities in the country," West said. Pollmiller said the article by Mitchell is an interesting read about all the other places along "America's Mainstreet" as well.

Further on in the article, Mitchell tells how on days five and six he backtracked to Tulsa, because there is a warehouse right on Route 66 belonging to District 6110 (including Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma), that is marked Medical Supplies Network Inc.

The warehouse holds medical equipment and supplies from clinics and hospitals that Rotary volunteers sort and test, then ship to Rotary clubs in developing countries -- yet another project the Parsons Rotary is involved in, Pollmiller said.