Get set, go, make a difference Message from the RI Director - July 2017
Dear Rotarians,
The Rotary year 2016-17 has come to a close with many positives: great performance by the clubs, excellent team work and handsome contributions to the Foundation. In addition, during the year, globally Rotary created more than 35,000 leaders at the club level known as ‘Past Presidents’ and at the district level about 535 known as ‘Past Governors’. Many new clubs have been chartered inviting more persons to join, serve and strengthen our organisation. All this adding to one more page in Rotary’s 112-year glorious history. Not many organisations survive this long; and even fewer continue to grow as rapidly as Rotary has done while entering its 113th year.
The new Rotary Year (2017-18) will see a change of guard. This change which happens at every leadership level every year gives many Rotarians the opportunity to demonstrate their leadership skills and encourages other Rotarians to serve with renewed enthusiasm and energy.
Change is a constant in today’s times. Change brings opportunity. We must grasp and use it to continue our good work to ensure a better future for those we serve. When someone asked a farmer, “What are you doing today?”, he replied, “I am enjoying the hard work of the past.” We do understand the farmer’s nuanced response: after all we too have a legacy of more than 112 years. But the thought of what tomorrow will bring is always lingering in the back of our minds, urging us to do better.
Now, the farmer knows that for the fields that are barren today to be ready for harvest tomorrow, the soil must be tilled and the seeds must be sown today in order to get a rich harvest. This is the thought lingering in the farmer’s mind. But he knows very well that between sowing and harvesting, there are many steps which need planning, coordination, process and hard work. And, there is many a slip between the cup and the lip. Finally, success only comes after accomplishing all the tasks at the right time.
We Rotarians know there is no such thing as overnight success. Thomas Edison once said: “Genius is one per cent inspiration and 99 per cent perspiration”. The best happens when we learn something, relentlessly practice it, improve upon it and then continue to learn more. Learning is an ongoing process. Learning is personal — it flexes with our needs, our learning style and our planning.
Rotarians work with well thought out plans and strategies and an army of 1.2 million Rotarians over 200 countries to serve the communities around us.
From July 1, we have full 12 months in front of us:
- Opportunities
- Challenges
- Time to prove our leadership capabilities
- Actions and results
- Introducing New Members to Rotary
- Learning about needs of our communities
- Interaction and working as teams
- Exciting experiences
- Develop our skills of communication to work better
- Convert acquaintances to friends in the true spirit of Rotary
- Happiness, energy and enthusiasm and
- Contributing towards worthy projects through TRF.
To make full use of our 12 months, my dear Trend Setters, please proceed to achieve the goals of Rotary with our well trained team of District officers and Club officers!
C Basker
Director, Rotary International
