It was one of those pleasant ‘State Fair Week’ days--sunny and warm but not uncomfortable when we met for Rotary at the Wakonda Club on Thursday. President Don Flannery called us to order and asked Cherian Koshy to lead us in an inspirational moment or two. He did just that, calling on truly inspiring words from a speech by Indian Prime Minister Jawharlal Nehru on August 15, 1947 when India gained its independence. You can read the speech here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tryst_with_Destiny Cherian’s father heard the words at that time, and we can see why he remembered them and shared them with his children. Randy Worth introduced our visitors and guests, then Mark Snell introduced Nora King, who recently graduated from Valley High School, was one of those our club sponsored at this year’s RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) conference, and who will be sponsored by our club during her year’s stay in France as a Rotary Exchange Student. Nora shared some information about RYLA, which is conducted annually in Iowa at Grinnell College and has attendees from both Districts 5970 and 6000. About 200 attend and are organized into groups of eight to ten persons for the work sessions there. Nora was profuse in her thanks for our sponsorship and spoke of “the RYLA magic” which is often referred to by those who have participated. Learning to lead and learning to listen were two of the important elements she mentioned as memorable lessons from the experience.
President Don then asked Steve Morain to introduce our speaker for the day. Steve observed it’s common knowledge that there have been a number of District Governors from our club, and that there have been women DG’s, too, but his role was a bit unique in that this was the first time a District Governor has been introduced to our club by their husband. After a few well-chosen words by him and saving time he said she could better use, we met Erna Morain and heard her excellent comments about plans for the next year. And we can say for sure that District 6000 is in capable hands. A member of the Waukee club, Erna is a native of The Netherlands but has acclimated to Iowa very well.
She opened her comments by reading from a book, published in about 1993 by a former District Governor, which has been passed down each year since shortly after that time. As she read from it, one sensed the changes that have taken place since that time, such as a constant reference to DG’s being men. She emphasized her belief that we must open our thinking to greater emphasis on the future and on the social changes that have taken place and continue to do so every day. From her presentation, it seems likely that the following will be among the factors we can expect to see emphasized in her term in office. One is a strong commitment to our personal Rotary memberships in being more constant in wearing our pins to identify ourselves to others who also may be Rotarians, or to those who might like to know about the organization. She mentioned being in an airport in a foreign country and seeing two persons wearing Rotary pins and finding that they were also officers in their districts. A similarly strong commitment to growing the Rotary organization, or as she says, “The Rotary Family”. She spoke of her various families, the one in The Netherlands, the Morain family of Iowa, and to the Rotary family to which we all belong. Looking further into her planning, we might see an emphasis on the use of social media, more women members, especially needed in many clubs outside of Des Moines, attention to the problem of adequate food for everyone, no matter their station in life, and support for the RI Foundation through which so many programs and services are funded. She shared with us her plans for the annual District Conference, to be held next June 25-27 at the Prairie Meadows Events Center which will be built around sharing Rotary with fellow members and families, good food, meaningful programs about how we can better serve those around us, interesting games for all and some free time to spend as we wish.
RI derives much of its strength and influence from the second word in its name: International. Our opportunities to interface with others of similar interests from throughout the world come about because of the organization’s world-wide membership, allowing local clubs to address local problems but at the same time to address those of an international dimension. And so important to that overall function is the work of District Governors, who act as the principal liaison persons reflecting the international to the local and, similarly important, reflecting the local and regional to the international. Erna’s commitment to the principles of Rotary International, coupled with her warm and engaging way of communicating bodes well for her likely achievements in her role and it’s apparent that District 6000 is in good hands for the coming year.
We appreciate her coming to visit with us today and wish her well as our leader this year.