Inaugural Speech

Posted by Sue Willcox 
 
Rich's Inaugural Speech
"For those of you who remember Mr. Membership you are expecting me to peel off my shirt right now.  Forgot my shirt, besides stripping on pass the gavel day would make Rotary history in a way I do not think any of us want.
Dale will be a tough act to follow.  Just wave your arms and it will be a great year. Well, I always wanted to be a conductor. Really, we will see how I will do.
I want to tell you a secret about being club president.  I get to be young again.  Why?  I get to feel that youthful passion again, be invigorated.  Talking about idealism and dreaming, do not tell me what I cannot do, that I cannot change the world.  Dreams are just the beginning, we need to roll up our sleeves and make the dreams real.    Because in Rotary there's no such thing as should've, could've and would've.  Only done it, doing it or will do it.  Rotary is about regular people like you and me.  See a need and do something about it.  My theme for the year is Rotary does it.  Rotary does it and this club already does a lot.  Community grants, donations to foundations, student exchange, share the warmth, Katrina relief.   Lots to be proud of and forgive me if I didn't mention your favorite.  Forgive me if I get a bit too intense for you here.  I get that way and after going to the International Convention in LA last week, I am psyched! 
I never realized the breadth and scope of what Rotary does to improve the lives of people all over the world.  In addition, if you can do this while building tolerance and understanding among people, the effect can be, and is, truly profound.  This is what Rotary is all about and in today's world... this is HUGE, (that's a Fucillo huge).  But you know what, almost all of these things start at the club level.  It happens with one club; with one Rotarian.
What would I like to see our club do this year?  With Katrina Relief, we already proved that we are a club that will not only pick up a pen and checkbook when there is a need - but also a hammer, saw and paintbrush.  The survey showed there is a real desire in this club to apply some of that mojo here at home.  Let's seek out ways in our own community that need help and get our hands dirty.  Service through fellowship, what a great Rotary idea!
Speaking of working together, let's get that BBQ going again.  This was one of our signature events and I miss it and according to the survey, so do you! So let's bring it back and make it more fun than it used to be.
So, now I am going to get serious again, my nephew was killed in Afghanistan a few weeks ago.  Many emotions, the strongest were grief and anger.  Part of anger was at war itself.  A friend of mine summed it up when he emailed me; war has been talked about, written about, and suffered for millennia, but nothing ever changes.  This seems true and it does make you very angry.  But with the anger, I also had a personal revelation.  I am happy I'm a Rotarian.  Because as a Rotarian I can direct that anger in a positive way.  I know that I am a part of a local and worldwide effort to change the world.  Because every time we sponsor an ambassadorial or Peace Scholar, host a GSE team or exchange international students, we are coming one step closer to ending war.
As Rotarians, we work to end hunger, slow disease, build schools and shelter, promote literacy and connect one-on-one to other humans with tolerance and empathy.  As Rotarians we can all say: "we've known the horrors of war for a long time and we are doing something about it."
That is why Rotary does it for me.  I hope it does it for you too.  So let's have a great year!"