Rotary International is one of the largest service organizations in the world. The mission of Rotary is to provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders. The Rotary Club of Estes Park was formed by community leaders over 100 years ago and serves the community through many avenues, the largest being the Duck Race that raised $196,000 last year and over $3M since its inception.
My mentor and Father‐in‐Law, Wayne Newsom was a member, so I decided it would be good for business if I also joined. In 2009, shortly after moving to Estes Park to begin my real estate career, I joined The Rotary Club of Estes Park. Nothing could have prepared me for such a life altering event.
As I became entrenched in Rotary, I found out what a wonderful organization it really is. On an international level, Rotary is striving to end Polio which was a major disease that only exists in a few locations today. Rotary strives to serve others by assisting with major water and sanitation projects all over the world. After the flood in 2013, our local club, through several grants, helped families in Glen Haven replace and repair their water and sanitation systems. The Duck Race plays a very large part in the funding of the 63 participating organizations. If not for the Duck Race, many may not be operational. I joined Rotary for the business but remain an active member because of its mission.
The Rotary moto is “Service Above Self”, one which we can all live by. Rotarians follow the four‐way test when making decisions: 1) Is it the Truth? 2) Is it fair to all concerned? 3) Will it build goodwill and better friendships? 4) Will it be beneficial to all concerned? Many times, when I need to make a tough decision, I will see if it passes the four‐way test before choosing the right path. If it fails even one statement, I will not proceed.
I thought I could run my business by following the Rotary Moto and The Four Way Test, but then I thought “Why not have a value statement for The Thompson Group that will guide our thoughts, decisions and efforts?” We had a few brainstorming sessions with the team decided on the following statements: 1) We develop deep relationships with our clients, delivering 5‐star service and high‐quality products to support them in key life moments. 2) We provide insight and guidance to empower our clients to make informed real estate decisions. 3) We are committed to the highest ethical standards, treating everyone with honesty and respect. 4)We lead with integrity, creating win/win agreements built on fairness to all parties. 5) We choose to enjoy every moment along the journey, finding laughter, love and happiness every day in each interaction.
We all are a sum of our personalities, our God‐given gifts and our life experiences. We feel fortunate to have been raised in God‐loving families and to have our business culture created through great organizations like Rotary. Some businesses will not share their value statement with their clients, but we at the Thompson Group want to shout it from the rooftops. If you, your family, or your friends choose to do business with an organization like us, give us a call today. We can chat about your real estate goals, Rotary, or just life. We would love to hear what you value in a business relationship.