Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

In a recent event at an Albert Lea service club, one member confronted a guest speaker with a demanding tone and responded in a way that called the guest a liar. After multiple attacks, the member was asked to step away from the guest. Many members of the club were appalled and embarrassed. What one member does is a reflection on all in the service club. At a school this would be called bullying and would not be tolerated. We must take cues from what we teach our children and not let bullying happen as adults.

Service clubs are grateful for guest speakers to visit and share insight on what they are doing in our community. A guest speaker is taking time out of his or her day to educate a group on something they do in the community. Sometimes it’s volunteer work, sometimes a career, always it is someone who contributes to our community.

We are not suggesting that members can’t ask questions of the guest speakers, and sometimes even tough questions, but it needs to be done in a respectful way. Merciless tones and implying that a guest is a liar is not wanted and should not be tolerated. Would you treat a guest at your home like this? Would you allow your child to speak to a guest this way?

While this behavior may have been accepted decades ago, it is not accepted in 2024. It’s time for some to leave the bullying behind. It’s time for these bullies to check their attitude. And it’s time for the rest of us to stand up against bullying. As hard as it may be, it’s the right thing to do. There is a time and place for debate, but it is not at a service club meeting.

In the past, Tribune speakers have been the target of this behavior. We are happy to say that the speaking opportunities at service clubs in the past few years have been enjoyable and we thank those service clubs for being respectful, courteous and welcoming. We love to answer questions on how we are making decisions for the Tribune. We love to get ideas for stories and we appreciate hearing what people want to read and what they don’t want to read. It is always our goal to better serve our community. In the past, some of those suggestions came with demands and were not respectful. We don’t remember those suggestions, only that the person giving them was rude. It doesn’t help anyone to behave in this manner.

This editorial is not a representation of all service clubs, and we recognize that the bullies are minimal compared to the overwhelming number of amazing people who participate in service clubs. Service clubs do such great work in our communities. They volunteer, they raise money for organizations, they raise awareness and they also have the amazing benefit of fellowship with like-minded people.

It is not our intention to scare you away from joining a service club, rather to highlight that all clubs need more good people like you to join. If you are interested in joining or speaking at a club and need help finding a best fit for you, please give us a call. You can also find most local service clubs on the internet or you can call the Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce for contact information. Joining a club is an easy way to give back to your community and is very rewarding.

“Change your thoughts and you change the world.” — Norman Vincent Peale