By Libby Hopkins
What did you want to be when you were 19 years old? Did you have a life plan in place and if so, did you stick to it? Did you ever think about joining a rotary when you were 19? Well, Michelle McGuire of Valrico, 19 years old, has her life all planned out and she is the youngest member of a rotary club. McGuire is a member of the Valrico Rotary Club and as a Rotarian, she takes the rotary’s motto of “service above self” very seriously.
Usually, people join a rotary in their late 30’s, but McGuire grew up around the rotary. Her parents and brother have been involved with rotaries for years, so it seemed like a natural progression to her. “I joined at such a young age because I feel more people need to be involved with rotary,” McGuire said, “ All of my friends think it’s really neat that I’m involved with the rotary and I think I’m an inspiration to them to become more selfless.”
After graduating high school, McGuire attended The Paul Mitchell School in Tampa, where she earned a degree in cosmetology and graduated with top honors. While attending the school, McGuire participated in many community fundraisers sponsored by Paul Mitchell. She is a strong believer in helping her community and giving back to it as well. “I don’t know what I would do with myself if I wasn’t helping the community in some way,” McGuire said. She is also a strong supporter of our military. She recently did a 5K marathon for fallen soldiers and a clay shoot fundraiser that helped raise money for The Haley House at V.A. Hospital in Tampa. “My inspiration for my support of the military is my brother, Matt, who is currently serving in Afghanistan,” McGuire said.
She hopes one day to own her own salon, and is currently working as a stylist in the FishHawk area. “I love making people happy and feel good about themselves,” McGuire said, “My goal is to have my own salon someday and when that happens, I’ll have achieved another goal in my life.” For more information on the Valrico Rotary, you can visit their website at www.valricorotary.com.
