Posted on Jun 01, 2022
This is a section dedicated to get to know our fellow members.
 
Get to know Katie Wilford!
Name: Katie Wilford
Hometown: Solon, IA
Club Role: Public Image Chair, Co-Foundation Chair, Newsletter Editor
District Role: Interact & Rotaract Committee Chair
Why did you join Rotary? I was training for a triathlon at the pool in Pocahontas, IA and one of my students (who had just gotten back from RYLA) asked if I wanted to start an Interact club at school. After Googling, "What is Rotary?" I said yes to being the faculty advisor for the club. Three years later, I received a Rotary Global Scholar scholarship through District 5970 and I moved to Melbourne, Australia to obtain my Master of Education at the University of Melbourne. Upon returning home, I asked Michelle Bell how I could attend the Rotary International Convention in Honolulu, HI. She said, "Join my club!" So I did! (Unfortunately, COVID ruined the convention...but I didn't give up on becoming a Rotarian!) 
What do you like most about Rotary? I experience the fulfillment that comes from giving back to the community and making a difference in the world. Some of my dearest friends belong to Rotary, and I always look forward to catching up with them both near and far. 
Career: High School Mathematics Teacher
Hobbies: Fishing, cycling, hiking, running, doing yoga, traveling, volunteering, downhill skiing, canoeing, camping, kayaking, SUPing, scuba diving, dinking with my plants, and reading (which is rare...because I barely find time to SIT)
More About Me: I am going on a 200-mile paddle with my father along Minnesota's Border Route, from Crane Lake on the eastern side of Voyageur's National Park to Grand Portage National Monument on Lake Superior. There are twists and turns as it follows a series of pristine, remote lakes linked by portages along the Minnesota and Ontario border. It'll take us approximately three weeks to complete.