Roger Proffer had a good reason for missing the most recent Crystal River Council meeting.

He was out of town helping to install a water system. Proffer, a councilman who tends to pick his spots before barging into debate at council meetings, is a Rotarian who, for the past 18 years, has gone to Honduras to help impoverished villages.

This year, the five Citrus County Rotary clubs combined to send a team to Honduras to install a water system and provide computer training to teachers.

He traveled with four fellow Rotarians: K.C. and Marybeth Nayfield, Joe Festante and Chris Gregoriou.

“It was the far eastern end of Honduras,” Proffer said. “It’s 75 miles from civilization. You fly in and that’s it. There’s nothing there. We dug a well and ran pipes. Put a water faucet in every house.”

The village of about 50 to 75 people is a half-hour boat ride from Belen, where the team stayed with Frank Monterroso, a part-time Honduras resident whom Proffer met years ago in Crystal River.

Proffer said they became close friends and that’s the reason why he goes to Honduras every year.

Villagers are involved as well by digging ditches for the pipes.

“It takes almost a year of planning and about five minutes of work,” Proffer said.

The group was gone 10 days. Proffer said it took four days to do the water project and another two days for the computer training.

Villagers were thrilled with the attention, he said.

“They’re excited,” he said. “I didn’t see this myself, but someone from our group said there was this 80-year-old gal, when the water came out of the faucet her mouth dropped and she just stared for two or three minutes.”

Proffer said he enjoys visiting Honduras.

“It’s beautiful country,” he said, then added: “I’m glad I don’t have to live where those people are. It’s rough.”

Proffer has a particular reason for volunteering his time in Honduras.

“Personal satisfaction. That’s the only reason I sit at city council,” he said. “I’ve got to make my life worth something.”