The Meaning of Family
Posted by Steven Walden
December is Family of Rotary Month. Rotary "Family" includes not only the individual member, but also the clubs, organizations, programs, and beneficiaries of Rotary endeavors. The Family of Rotary also includes our own families, those loved ones that live in our homes, visit at Christmas, and bring home stray dogs to adopt.
I have been asked whether our club is "family friendly." I took the question to mean whether our family members are permitted and invited to attend our club meetings and events. Of course the answer is "yes!" In fact, we encourage family members to attend our meetings and events for purpose of seeing where we go and what we do when we sacrifice that time away from home for Rotary business. Not all organizations have such a policy; in fact, may Rotary clubs are closed to only members and invited guests.
The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together.
~Erma Bombeck
Families are like fudge - mostly sweet with a few nuts.
~Author Unknown
Have a fruitful week.
Yours in Rotary,
Steve Walden
As you look across the room on Friday morning, take note of how many father/daughter, mother/son, husband/wife members we have. It is encouraging to know that Rotarians believe so much in the relevancy of Rotary that we are willing to share it with the ones we love the most.
We also enjoy having children at our meetings. Richard Kitterman was telling me the other day that his granddaughter, Thavorey, was coming to our meetings when she was small. It is believed that her first words were the Four Way Test. We have also witnessed Jennifer Keefe grow up as well. I think we can predict the impact that Rotary has had on our youngest visitors. Perhaps we will see them when we attend our 50th Anniversary Banquet - when they are running the club. When we give the Rotary experience to our kids, grandchildren, nieces, etc, we are ensuring Rotary success for New Generations.In the near future, you will see some more opportunities for us to invite our family members to "family friendly" events. So, I encourage you to bring your significant other, kids, and grandchildren to experience Rotary fun and fellowship.
It is said:The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together.
~Erma Bombeck
Families are like fudge - mostly sweet with a few nuts.
~Author Unknown
Have a fruitful week.
Yours in Rotary,
Steve Walden