In a couple of weeks, my term as your president will end, and Nick Greteman will take that role.
I wanted to take a few moments to tell you some things that I have learned from that time.
It has always been my goal, and my attitude in Rotary to be an involved Rotarian, to make as many of our lunches as possible, hear as many of our interesting speakers as possible, but also to get out as often as possible to our service events, fundraisers, and opportunities to volunteer.
If you one time make a commitment to take a needy child through Bomgaars near Christmas and help them shop for their family, you want to be there every year after that.
If you one time make a commitment to spend 30 or 45 minutes giving eager third graders dictionaries or bike helmets, you want to be there every year after that.
If you attended our Veteran’s dinner last year, I think, like me, you want to be a part of that again.
When I would hear our speakers or see Rotary information on our international projects, I knew I wanted to be a Paul Harris Fellow and help out in a way that I am able.
Like anything in life, I think what you get out of Rotary depends on what you put into it.
Serving as president for a year has allowed me to get to know our club better. It has allowed me to get to know the individual members of our club better. It has allowed me to get to know Rotary at the district 6000 level better. It has allowed me to get to know Rotary at the international level better.
A year ago this month, knowing I would soon be club president and with the Rotary International Convention conveniently in Atlanta, I knew I did not want to pass up the opportunity to attend. Try and go sometime, you’ll never regret it, and you’ll never look at Rotary the same. The numbers and enthusiasm of Rotary members from all over the world will really make an impression on you.
We have had some very good members who have dropped out over the years, and I think at least part of that for some of them is that they felt they were carrying too much of the load. The more members who become engaged, the more we can accomplish, but I also think we will all be more satisfied members of our Rotary.
I read an interesting article this past year from a medical provider who has seen many people go through the dying process, and from listening to them talk to him and their families, he came up with a list about what is truly important in life. Spending time engaging with people, spending
time in service for other people, spending time as part of a community, are the type of things on the list that he mentioned. They are the type of things you will never regret having spent extra time on.
So I encourage every member to find one thing in Rotary, one avenue of service, that you are not currently doing, and just do it one time. Maybe it is attending the planning meeting for our Veteran’s event, any one of our service projects, becoming a Paul Harris fellow, it could be anything. Do it one time, and see if, like me, you wish to continue to be more involved. What we can accomplish is only limited by the engagement of our members. I have seen how Rotarians who put their mind to something can accomplish nearly anything they want. Thank you.