Committees - Starfish

The Franklin Rotary at Breakfast’s Operation Starfish Committee’s mission is to assist residents of Williamson County in gaining access to potable water.

The club adopted Operation Starfish in 2002.  The committee is charged with helping people who are in need of potable water, but do not have the ability to pay. Here are a few examples of the projects we have completed:

• Purchased water taps
• Supervised the installation of water lines from the water taps to homes
• Supervise the repair of septic systems

Why have we chosen to call the project “Operation Starfish?” It goes to the story of the aftermath of a violent coastal storm. Thousands of starfish had been washed ashore – some were dead, other dying, many were still alive but unable to get back to the safety of the sea. A small boy was picking up the living ones one at a time, carrying them down to the surf, and tossing them in. A man happened along and noting what, to him, was a futile exercise said to the boy, “Son, there are too many starfish. You won’t be able to make a difference.” Without stopping the boy pitched another starfish into the sea and replied, “Well, I made a difference to that one”. And that’s how we see our Club and this project. At this point our resources are limited and the needs are great. However we can make a difference if we begin with one family (starfish) at a time as we “work in our own garden.”

Our committee members are:

Bob Dietrick-Chairman  615-642-7612

Al Adams

Hunter Battle

Dan Coley

Lynn Hallum

Dick Tennent

Please call if you know of a person in need.