I felt my grandpa's spirit today.

How could I not, in the midst of so many service-minded men and women from all over the world. The Rotary International is in town for its annual gathering, which is the largest convention ever hosted in Salt Lake City.

For my grandfather, Nicholas Medina, Rotary International was a natural extension of a life of service. He was a Navy man, having served his country in World War II and Korea. He worked for the local office of Colorado's state employment service. At one point, he recruited seasonal agricultural laborers to work the farms in southern Colorado. He enjoyed helping people find employment because he believed in the dignity of work.

He also believed in giving back to his community so he became a Rotarian. He took a lot of pride in that, particularly when he became president of his local club.

I regret, now, that I didn't pay more attention to that aspect of his life. He was always a larger-than-life character in my mind. He was playful and funny, prone to breaking into song on long car trips. It took forever to run errands with him because he seemed to know every single person in Walsenburg, Colo. These outings sometimes tested my patience, but I was always proud to tag along.

Monday, as I walked through the Salt Palace Convention Center, I couldn't help but notice the many silver-topped men and women in attendance. Many service organizations are graying, meaning the membership is growing older, and there aren't as many members joining to sustain the groups.

It's not surprising, really. The Rotarian motto is "Service above Self." My generation seems to have flipped that sensibility on its head with the "It's all about me" way of living.

It makes me wonder about the future of service organizations in general. What happens when these organizations that help to create a sense of community become extinct? Who will construct parks, host Fourth of July pancake breakfasts or provide college scholarships? Who will conduct youth events to build up our next generation of leaders? Who, as Rotary International has done, will act globally to help wipe out diseases such as polio through an aggressive immunization program?

Seeing the many faces of Rotarians from across the globe (this convention is the largest international gathering in Salt Lake since the 2002 Winter Games), it's apparent that Rotary International is a long way from joining the ranks of the dinosaurs. I was pleasantly surprised by the rich diversity and relative youth of the convention crowd.

Take 26-year-old Cris Wallace of Lake Elsinore, Calif., who is walking 2,658 miles from Campo, Calif., on the U.S.-Mexico border, to Manning Provincial Park, British Columbia, to raise money and awareness to end polio worldwide. She hopes to raise $1 million to wipe out polio in the four nations where it persists: Nigeria, Afghanistan, India and Pakistan.