DOWAGIAC — Leadership was the overarching theme at the Dowagiac Rotary Club’s weekly meeting on Thursday.

Standing in front of a group of Rotarians, President Melody Wallace held a book on leadership in her hand and encouraged Rotarians to discuss leadership ideas among themselves.

“If you understand people, it opens the door to lead and develop them more,” Wallace read from the book. “You need to know this about developing people. People are naturally motivated.”

At one table, Rotarians Bob Cochrane, Marilu Franks and Mike Franks discussed three of the leadership questions and shared the different aspects of life they are motivated by.

Cochrane said he is motivated by doing something that can help somebody.

At the end of a list of questions, the club as a whole discussed what each of them talked about.

At another table, Rotarians Matthew Cripe, Victor Fitz and a new addition to the Rotary Club, DeVante McCullom, said Cripe had an idea that resonated with their group.

“Matt said something I thought was really profound,” Fitz said. “I take it all the way back to the beginning. … When you were born, you started as a ball of clay, and when God breathed into you, he breathed life and a desire to be good.”

Cripe said whether someone is religious or not, he believes there was something that inspired the whole creation of the universe.

“It was something certainly inspirational,” Cripe said.

Marilu also shared with the group that her husband, Mike, used to work in the insurance business. She said he was not a top salesman because he was not motivated to work at night, and instead wanted to be with his family.

“Then he went into his own business and body shop. I couldn’t get him home,” Marilu said. “He wanted to work and get that job done. It’s not always your job, but what you love.”

The leadership discussion led into the announcement that at a Rotary Board Meeting, which met Wednesday, The board discussed how officers of the rotary will need to be elected in December. Every December, the new officers for the next July get voted in.

“For people that are afraid to step up, realize that when you are in place, Rotary has trainings,” Rotarian Mark Herman said.

Wallace said she found her training helpful, as well as interacting with past members of the club, who have held officer positions.

When Wallace first became president, she said she wanted to focus on two of the five core values of Rotary — leadership and service. To align with the leadership value, Wallace announced a desire to start working with the Rotary Interact Club at the Dowagiac Union High School. Members of the Rotary brainstormed to plan an upcoming night where Interact members, their parents and members of the Rotary could all interact with each other.

“We want to add value to them and show [Interact] is important to us,” Wallace said.

In staying with the leadership theme, Wallace, Marilu and McCullom went to Southwestern Michigan College on Wednesday evening to recruit for a Rotaract Club at the college. A list garnered 15 signatures of students and a staff member interested in joining or helping out.

“We are really thankful we have this opportunity,” Wallace said. “I think we are fulfilling our vision in that area.”