Aug 28, 2015 By Harry Funk 2 min read

Rotary International turns 110 this year, and contrary to popular belief, not all members have been around since Day One.

Yes, Rotarians have that reputation of being somewhat on the wizened side, but the leadership represented at the Aug. 27 McMurray Rotary Club meeting showed a trend very much to the contrary.

At age 30, Matt Dowling is the youngest-ever governor of Rotary International District 7330, which includes McMurray. The member of the Connellsville club took over July 1 and will serve until next June.

“The more active I got, the more interested I became in serving the district,” said Dowling, who has been a Rotarian since age 22. He joined at the same time he started working for the Boy Scouts of America, for which he is Westmoreland-Fayette Council development director.

Early in his or her term, each district governor visits all the clubs, which in 7330’s case includes traveling throughout Washington, Greene, Fayette, Somerset, Westmoreland, Indiana and Cambria counties.

For McMurray’s turn, Dowling was greeted by Eddie Werner, who is serving as club president at the ripe old age of 28.

And they just keep getting younger.

Scheduled to serve in 2017-18 as McMurray’s first female president is Alexandra Hellberg, who at that point will be all of 25.

For the current year, Dowling plans to extend the district’s successful “Potty Mouth” campaign in support of the Rotary Foundation’s efforts to provide for clean water and sanitation in the Domincan Republic.

As for the McMurray club, the Gala Derby, its major annual fundraiser, is scheduled for Sept. 19. For more information, contact wernerej09@gmail.com