It's August

Posted by Valarie Wafer, RIVP and Director Zone 28&32

August is membership and new club development month. Rotary’s number one internal priority is to Grow Rotary and increase membership. President Shekhar has asked Rotarians around the world to raise their hand and commit to Each One Bring One and increase our membership to 1.3 million by July 2022.

Rotary adds a richness to our life, a richness that is not measured in dollars, but in the tangible benefit that we deliver to others and the personal job and fulfillment derived from collaborating with good, honest, successful people for the purpose of serving. In the process, we get the additional benefit of fellowship with people who believe in honest, ethical business, fairness, friendship, and mutual respect, why wouldn’t we want to share that? Let’s make the commitment to look into our contact list on our phones, look to our colleagues, our families, our partners, and our neighbours and ASK.

These last couple of weeks have been fantastic, I have had the opportunity to visit a few events in person and volunteer in a drive-thru Ribfest. It feels wonderful to be out! Many of us are anxious to get back to a reasonable sense of normal, going out to restaurants bars, sporting events and conferences. Without question we will, but the big unknown is when? It will be up to all of us to do the right thing. We must encourage those who can, to get vaccinated. In fact, we owe it to those who cannot vaccinate to do so ourselves so that others may also get back to normal life as well. 
 
Here in Zone 28 and 32 we have done a remarkable job of fighting this pandemic. As Rotarians who have vaccinated tens of millions of children against. We know, perhaps better than anyone, how valuable and how safe vaccines really are. Sadly though, despite the high number of people who have received at least one jab, numbers are slowing down as it becomes apparent that some individuals and families are hesitant to get vaccinated. 
 
Let’s do everything possible to avoid a fourth wave in North America, a potential pandemic of the unvaccinated. A vaccine is by far the beat way to avoid illness, death or potential life altering conditions. 
 
Thank you, stay safe enjoy the summer and get your jab today.