The first time Bruce Coleman shook my hand; I thought a WWF wrestler had been morphed into his 84 year-old body.

Now approaching 88, Coleman's handshake is just as "firm" today and he treats life the way he shakes your hand, firmly and lovingly.

Bruce Coleman loves life and life loves him right back.

Jim Turley, a past president of Coleman's Rotary Club says, "Bruce is the kind of guy I hope to be at that age. I think of him as a young person not an older man. He's Mr. Energy, always enthusiastic."

A Rotarian through and through with 48 years of perfect attendance, Coleman is the first on the scene at his club's fundraising events and one of the last to leave. When people half his age are running out of steam, it seems he's just kicking into high gear. I know. I've been one of those "younger guys".

Most of Coleman's working career was spent with Kelly-Douglas, a wholesale food company. Starting with the lowest job on the ladder in one of their warehouses, he worked his way up through the ranks to manager of one of their larger branches. He held that position until he retired in 1979.

Coleman's secret for success? Work hard, keep a smile on your face and always do the very best you can, a lesson taught to him by his mother.

And Coleman spreads those smiles around. Even the shortest conversation with this man leaves you with either a smile on your face or a laugh in your belly.

A square dancer since he was 17, Coleman is still dancing twice a month and usually more often.

"I don't do as much dancing as I used to," he grins, "because I can't swing the girls anymore and that makes me mad."

Another part of his "secret" lies in the Rotary motto, "Service Above Self." Coleman lives that motto every minute of every day.

He's been an active supporter of more causes than you can name but he takes special delight in his current and former volunteer efforts with Rotary, the Chamber of Commerce, Goodwill Enterprises and his church.

At church, he heads up the Men's Breakfast Club and on Sunday's you can always find him at the front door welcoming people with a smile and one of his famous handshakes.

Every one who knows Bruce Coleman marvels at his energy and wonders where he gets it.

"He's always been that way," his wife Doris says. "Truth is he's just a great guy and he loves helping people." After a little pause, she adds with a laugh, "I keep telling him he's just hyper."

No matter how great your attitude might be it's still not easy getting old. "My eyes aren't too good and my hearing is worse," Coleman complains and then asks, "What do you think will go next?" He leaves the question hanging in a pregnant pause and then breaks into laughter.

But dealing with advancing age really is a challenge.

"I'm becoming more ingrown," he muses. "I used to love going around in a large group talking to everyone but now I'm finding it difficult because I have to get up close to people to see who they are and I really don't hear well -- but I still enjoy it."

Coleman says he hopes to live until 2005 so he can see Rotary rid the world of Polio, a cause he's supported for years - but by then, his friends hope he'll have found another cause that needs his support -- and another hand that needs to be shaken.