“Rotary Opens Opportunities” When Rotary International President Holger Knaack announced his theme for the 2020-2021 year in January, nobody could have foreseen the changes we and the world would face in the coming months.
In March, as the Covid-19 started forever affecting our lives, Rotary at all levels moved quickly into the world of electronic communications. I believe we have one of the biggest opportunities to grow Rotary in our 115-year history truly.
Up until this point, we were making incremental changes in the way we did the business of Rotary, trying to lead the way without venturing too far and getting lost.
Thank goodness for Zoom and other electronic platforms that are helping transform us as we try to meet and continue to serve our local and international communities.
When I joined my local Rotary club, Lakewood Rotary, in 1996, I thought I was joining a service organization. We still are a service organization with a goal of “doing good in the world.” But we are so much more than that. We are a leadership organization of members from the private sectors (large and small businesses) as well as government, service employees, non-profits, and people who want to make the world a better place to live.
Rotary is continuing to live up to its promise made 35 years ago, in 1985, of eradicating polio from the face of the earth. For the past several years, polio has existed in just two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Lessons learned in reducing the incidence of polio to zero throughout most of the world are now aiding in planning vaccination efforts when a Covid-19 vaccine is found.
I’m so proud of the 90+ clubs in our District and their efforts to Grow Rotary by introducing new Rotary club models such as corporate memberships, satellite clubs, flexible meeting times, and of course, Zoom meetings.
Zoom has opened a whole new world of opportunities. I’m able to “visit” ten to fifteen clubs each week electronically.
I’m meeting and learning about individual members and seeing their faces. I’m learning about the service projects clubs are doing. And the clubs are learning about me.
When I am finally able to make my official in-person visits sometime in the future, I won’t be a stranger walking into the meetings.
I’ll only be here for a year, then the torch of leadership will be passed to my friend Lorna. We have skilled leadership in our District Council to help guide and support us. We have wonderful resources such as District Training for all Rotarians, and on myrotary.org, the Rotary Learning Center. We have strong leadership in key areas like Membership, Public Image, Vocational Service, and The Rotary Foundation.
Thank you in advance go to the core, 18 Assistant Governors who help our District continue to be so successful. It would be an impossible job without you.
District 5020 has what no other District in the world has: UD5020. (It stands for Unite District 5020). It’s a wonderful monthly news magazine e-mailed to each of the 4,600+ Rotarians in our District. And the back issues are on rotary5020.org, our district website.
My one regret will be the cancellation of our Youth Exchange program for this year. Let’s take this opportunity to reconnect via Zoom with former YE students, both inbound and outbound, to see how Rotary has shaped their lives. This can be a planning and rebuilding year until we can once again get back into the Youth Exchange program.
I truly hope to see you at the Great Wolf Lodge near Chehalis, WA, May 14 & 15, 2021, for our District Training and Conference (DTAC).
Please bring the entire family!
WE CONNECT PEOPLE
YOUR DISTRICT LEADERSHIP TEAM
YOUTH PROTECTION AWARENESS
