President Lieto's Induction Address
Posted by John Betrus
2010-2011 President Don Lieto's Address to the Club
Don Lieto, June 29, 2010
First of all, I want to thank President Bill for his year of service as President. For those of you that have never served as president, it takes a great deal of time and effort. I also want to acknowledge and thank everyone on the Board as well as everyone that chaired or served on a committee this past year. All of these Rotarians are great examples of the unheralded work that Rotarians do. Thank you everyone for your service.
One day, back in the summer of 1983, I was working in my yard over on Toll St. and stopped to chat with my next door neighbor and Rotarian, Dale Brose. Soon I was going to be leaving my job in Fremont, Ohio, which was about a 70 mile commute one-way, and rejoin Monroe Bank & Trust managing their data and check processing functions. I told Dale that I was looking forward to having the chance to be active in the Monroe community. So, Dale suggested I attend a Monroe Rotary club meeting as his guest.
I had once attended a Blissfield Rotary meeting, so I knew Rotary was a service organization of business & community leaders and I was a little familiar with Rotary's meeting format. But little was I aware of the character and personality of the Monroe Rotary Club and the uniqueness of some of its members. I discovered that it wasn't uncommon for a certain individual to time the invocation out loud in 5 second intervals or to put a teaspoonful of water on a fellow Rotarians seat during the patriotic song. We're a much more professional and respectful group now. Perhaps admitting women into Rotary 20 years ago had something to do with that? Then of course, there was the proclivity of the Sergeants to assess fines for any infraction of rules or protocol.
I quickly learned to wear my pin & badge, attend all club meetings and activities, properly greet visiting Rotarians and guests, avoid leaving a meeting early and always mention Rotary in any personal press articles to avoid being fined. The punitive nature of the fines was motivational, especially if you didn't have much cash. Today we freely give our happy dollars to the Sergeants to make any personal announcement or spread good news. Although many Rotary clubs today still assess fines, I like the positive nature of happy dollars better and it's turned out to be more lucrative, adding more money to our Guest Night fund for fellowship activities.
When I joined Rotary in September 1983 I was 50 pounds lighter, still had a full head of brown hair, and I was 28 years old, which was well below the average age of the membership, which to me seemed like 70, but probably was more like 69 ÃÆ'‚½ ). I wasn't as experienced or wise about life as many of my fellow Rotarians, I didn't possess much power or influence, I earned much less money, and I certainly was far less knowledgeable about Rotary than anyone else in the club. I felt like the new kid on the block. But fortunately I wasn't afraid of work or commitment, thanks to my wife Lorna who cured me of those fears when we married 7 years earlier.
During my first 6 years in the club I served a full year in each of the club officer chairs beginning with Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President, President-Elect, President, and finally Past President. At that time it was not unusual to serve in all officer chairs before becoming President, in order to gain the necessary knowledge and confidence to be an effective club leader. Times have changed and today serving in all chairs is the exception, rather than the rule.
During my early years, even with serving through the chairs, I felt ignorant about Rotary. I later learned that it's quite common, even today, for most new Rotarians to feel overwhelmed by the size, reach and scope of Rotary's mission of "Service Above Self". There are so many aspects of Rotary and it can literally take a lifetime to comprehend. For me, making that early commitment to actively participate in the club was unknowingly one of my most positive, life altering decisions. As I grew to understand that Rotary is more than 1.1 million Rotarians strong, in over 22,000 clubs, in more than 160 countries throughout the world, all focused on the same principals of fellowship, integrity and service, I knew I was part of something big, but more importantly, something very special and important to the world.
Rotary is all about FELLOWSHIP, INTEGRITY, and SERVICE.. I think of FELLOWSHIP as taking the opportunity to interact and share positive experiences with other people. Rotary offers many fellowship opportunities during club meetings, fundraisers, service projects, guest nights, district activities and international conventions. In the past, great club fellowship has occurred during some fun and unique fundraisers including the Needle in a haystack, Christmas Tree pick up, All County High School Mixer, and our most enduring and profitable fundraiser to date, Koeze Nut sales. This fall we will celebrate 20 years of Koeze Nut sales, thanks in large part to Ed Yentz, God bless his soul, and some wonderful commitment and support from the club membership over the years. And of course fellowship permeates every service project especially major projects like our club signature service project, the Rotary Playscape at Munson Park. I believe we will be celebrating our 10th anniversary of that build this fall. In addition to our many service projects, fellowship abounds at events such as President's Day, Inter Service club golf outings and Guest Nights. There is never a shortage of fellowship opportunities in Rotary, only the failure to take advantage of such opportunities.
INTEGRITY is a fundamental value for a Rotarian and the cornerstone of good relationships. Webster simply defines integrity as honesty and sincerity. "Rotary Integrity" combines honesty and sincerity with the Object of Rotary, which is the encouragement and fostering of service as a basis of worthy enterprise, and the Four Way test of the things we think, say and do. There is something special, even comforting, when interacting with someone with integrity. "Rotary Integrity" brings even more value and meaning to a relationship, whether it's business or personal. I was very fortunate during my early years to have witnessed first hand "Rotary Integrity" practiced by some good Rotarians like Ed Yentz, Bud Dorner, Bill Reisig, Amir Mehregan and others who have passed away; and current Rotarians like George Quick, Bush Ahmad, Jim Morr, Bob Scott, Larry Slagenwhite, and Dave Yentz, just to name a few. As parents, Lorna and I are happy and proud knowing that our children, Heather, Andrew and Megan have developed integrity and I'm certain they will pass that on to their children.
One of the things about Rotary that has always impressed me is the quantity, quality and magnitude of Rotary SERVICE. It's mind boggling to consider the billions of dollars Rotary has spent globally through the years to feed the hungry, eradicate Polio, provide clean drinking water & sanitation, provide medical and educational services, support literacy initiatives, provide disaster relief, build schools, clinics and bridges, and to serve other basic human needs. These are all important and worthy of expenditures. However, the money spent pales in comparison to the personal contributions of time, effort, compassion and support of one million plus Rotarians committed to World Understanding and Peace. I'm proud to belong to Rotary and to a club that is more than just a check writing service club. Our club's commitment to service is demonstrated by recent hands on community service projects like providing lunch to the kids & staff at Holiday Camp, having holiday celebrations with special needs students at the ISD, sponsoring a Red Cross blood drive, serving Breakfast with Santa at Hollywood School, ringing bells for Salvation Army, cleaning a highway, working on a Habitat for Humanity project, volunteering at Stepping Stones, presenting Service Above Self awards, preparing and serving God Works meals, and distributing student dictionaries. And there are other service projects and many more non-Rotary service hours invested by Monroe Rotarians that go unnoticed and unreported. These hands-on projects are in addition to financially supporting over $17,000 worth of service projects this past year alone. Monroe Rotary is truly an active service club to be proud of.
During my 27 years in Rotary I've been through the chairs, kept track of the finances, kept minutes & attendance, billed membership dues, compiled club bylaws, chaired committees and fundraisers, participated in service projects, briefly hosted an exchange student and attended many meetings. And to be honest with you there have been times that I felt burned out. There were times that I was frustrated and fed up with the lack of progress or participation from members. At one point I felt disinterested, to the point I considered resigning from the club. But I'm a Rotarian at heart and knowing that the essence of Rotary is "Service Above Self" I was compelled to re-commit myself to Rotary. Whether you are a new or long-time Rotarian, a tired or disinterested Rotarian, or a RINO, which is a Rotarian in Name Only that's content with just coming to a weekly luncheon, I challenge you to reconsider your role in Rotary. Ask yourself "Why did I join Rotary?" Hopefully your answer will move you to get more involved in club activities or administration, even if you are a past president. Remember, Rotary is about fellowship, integrity and service. I guarantee that if you re-commit yourself to the Object of Rotary, the Four Way Test, and "Service Above Self" your life will be refreshed, rejuvenated and rewarded. I know mine is.
As most of you know, each year the Rotary International President has a theme. 2010-11 RI President Ray Klingensmith has the theme of "Building Communities, Bridging Continents". As club President I propose a variation of this theme for our coming year: "Enjoy Rotary while Building Communities and Bridging Continents". Many of the activities of the Monroe Rotary Club fit nicely with the community and vocational aspect of this theme. I feel we can do more with International Service and supporting the Rotary Foundation.
Past Rotary International President Cliff Dockterman once said, looking at his watch, "Well, I've spoken about as long as it seems!" I'll close by saying that the focus of our club's leadership this coming year will be on fellowship, integrity, and service. I'm excited about getting started and look forward to a productive and rewarding Rotary year of "Enjoying Rotary while Building Communities and Bridging Continents".
Thank you.
First of all, I want to thank President Bill for his year of service as President. For those of you that have never served as president, it takes a great deal of time and effort. I also want to acknowledge and thank everyone on the Board as well as everyone that chaired or served on a committee this past year. All of these Rotarians are great examples of the unheralded work that Rotarians do. Thank you everyone for your service.
One day, back in the summer of 1983, I was working in my yard over on Toll St. and stopped to chat with my next door neighbor and Rotarian, Dale Brose. Soon I was going to be leaving my job in Fremont, Ohio, which was about a 70 mile commute one-way, and rejoin Monroe Bank & Trust managing their data and check processing functions. I told Dale that I was looking forward to having the chance to be active in the Monroe community. So, Dale suggested I attend a Monroe Rotary club meeting as his guest.
I had once attended a Blissfield Rotary meeting, so I knew Rotary was a service organization of business & community leaders and I was a little familiar with Rotary's meeting format. But little was I aware of the character and personality of the Monroe Rotary Club and the uniqueness of some of its members. I discovered that it wasn't uncommon for a certain individual to time the invocation out loud in 5 second intervals or to put a teaspoonful of water on a fellow Rotarians seat during the patriotic song. We're a much more professional and respectful group now. Perhaps admitting women into Rotary 20 years ago had something to do with that? Then of course, there was the proclivity of the Sergeants to assess fines for any infraction of rules or protocol.
I quickly learned to wear my pin & badge, attend all club meetings and activities, properly greet visiting Rotarians and guests, avoid leaving a meeting early and always mention Rotary in any personal press articles to avoid being fined. The punitive nature of the fines was motivational, especially if you didn't have much cash. Today we freely give our happy dollars to the Sergeants to make any personal announcement or spread good news. Although many Rotary clubs today still assess fines, I like the positive nature of happy dollars better and it's turned out to be more lucrative, adding more money to our Guest Night fund for fellowship activities.
When I joined Rotary in September 1983 I was 50 pounds lighter, still had a full head of brown hair, and I was 28 years old, which was well below the average age of the membership, which to me seemed like 70, but probably was more like 69 ÃÆ'‚½ ). I wasn't as experienced or wise about life as many of my fellow Rotarians, I didn't possess much power or influence, I earned much less money, and I certainly was far less knowledgeable about Rotary than anyone else in the club. I felt like the new kid on the block. But fortunately I wasn't afraid of work or commitment, thanks to my wife Lorna who cured me of those fears when we married 7 years earlier.
During my first 6 years in the club I served a full year in each of the club officer chairs beginning with Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President, President-Elect, President, and finally Past President. At that time it was not unusual to serve in all officer chairs before becoming President, in order to gain the necessary knowledge and confidence to be an effective club leader. Times have changed and today serving in all chairs is the exception, rather than the rule.
During my early years, even with serving through the chairs, I felt ignorant about Rotary. I later learned that it's quite common, even today, for most new Rotarians to feel overwhelmed by the size, reach and scope of Rotary's mission of "Service Above Self". There are so many aspects of Rotary and it can literally take a lifetime to comprehend. For me, making that early commitment to actively participate in the club was unknowingly one of my most positive, life altering decisions. As I grew to understand that Rotary is more than 1.1 million Rotarians strong, in over 22,000 clubs, in more than 160 countries throughout the world, all focused on the same principals of fellowship, integrity and service, I knew I was part of something big, but more importantly, something very special and important to the world.
Rotary is all about FELLOWSHIP, INTEGRITY, and SERVICE.. I think of FELLOWSHIP as taking the opportunity to interact and share positive experiences with other people. Rotary offers many fellowship opportunities during club meetings, fundraisers, service projects, guest nights, district activities and international conventions. In the past, great club fellowship has occurred during some fun and unique fundraisers including the Needle in a haystack, Christmas Tree pick up, All County High School Mixer, and our most enduring and profitable fundraiser to date, Koeze Nut sales. This fall we will celebrate 20 years of Koeze Nut sales, thanks in large part to Ed Yentz, God bless his soul, and some wonderful commitment and support from the club membership over the years. And of course fellowship permeates every service project especially major projects like our club signature service project, the Rotary Playscape at Munson Park. I believe we will be celebrating our 10th anniversary of that build this fall. In addition to our many service projects, fellowship abounds at events such as President's Day, Inter Service club golf outings and Guest Nights. There is never a shortage of fellowship opportunities in Rotary, only the failure to take advantage of such opportunities.
INTEGRITY is a fundamental value for a Rotarian and the cornerstone of good relationships. Webster simply defines integrity as honesty and sincerity. "Rotary Integrity" combines honesty and sincerity with the Object of Rotary, which is the encouragement and fostering of service as a basis of worthy enterprise, and the Four Way test of the things we think, say and do. There is something special, even comforting, when interacting with someone with integrity. "Rotary Integrity" brings even more value and meaning to a relationship, whether it's business or personal. I was very fortunate during my early years to have witnessed first hand "Rotary Integrity" practiced by some good Rotarians like Ed Yentz, Bud Dorner, Bill Reisig, Amir Mehregan and others who have passed away; and current Rotarians like George Quick, Bush Ahmad, Jim Morr, Bob Scott, Larry Slagenwhite, and Dave Yentz, just to name a few. As parents, Lorna and I are happy and proud knowing that our children, Heather, Andrew and Megan have developed integrity and I'm certain they will pass that on to their children.
One of the things about Rotary that has always impressed me is the quantity, quality and magnitude of Rotary SERVICE. It's mind boggling to consider the billions of dollars Rotary has spent globally through the years to feed the hungry, eradicate Polio, provide clean drinking water & sanitation, provide medical and educational services, support literacy initiatives, provide disaster relief, build schools, clinics and bridges, and to serve other basic human needs. These are all important and worthy of expenditures. However, the money spent pales in comparison to the personal contributions of time, effort, compassion and support of one million plus Rotarians committed to World Understanding and Peace. I'm proud to belong to Rotary and to a club that is more than just a check writing service club. Our club's commitment to service is demonstrated by recent hands on community service projects like providing lunch to the kids & staff at Holiday Camp, having holiday celebrations with special needs students at the ISD, sponsoring a Red Cross blood drive, serving Breakfast with Santa at Hollywood School, ringing bells for Salvation Army, cleaning a highway, working on a Habitat for Humanity project, volunteering at Stepping Stones, presenting Service Above Self awards, preparing and serving God Works meals, and distributing student dictionaries. And there are other service projects and many more non-Rotary service hours invested by Monroe Rotarians that go unnoticed and unreported. These hands-on projects are in addition to financially supporting over $17,000 worth of service projects this past year alone. Monroe Rotary is truly an active service club to be proud of.
During my 27 years in Rotary I've been through the chairs, kept track of the finances, kept minutes & attendance, billed membership dues, compiled club bylaws, chaired committees and fundraisers, participated in service projects, briefly hosted an exchange student and attended many meetings. And to be honest with you there have been times that I felt burned out. There were times that I was frustrated and fed up with the lack of progress or participation from members. At one point I felt disinterested, to the point I considered resigning from the club. But I'm a Rotarian at heart and knowing that the essence of Rotary is "Service Above Self" I was compelled to re-commit myself to Rotary. Whether you are a new or long-time Rotarian, a tired or disinterested Rotarian, or a RINO, which is a Rotarian in Name Only that's content with just coming to a weekly luncheon, I challenge you to reconsider your role in Rotary. Ask yourself "Why did I join Rotary?" Hopefully your answer will move you to get more involved in club activities or administration, even if you are a past president. Remember, Rotary is about fellowship, integrity and service. I guarantee that if you re-commit yourself to the Object of Rotary, the Four Way Test, and "Service Above Self" your life will be refreshed, rejuvenated and rewarded. I know mine is.
As most of you know, each year the Rotary International President has a theme. 2010-11 RI President Ray Klingensmith has the theme of "Building Communities, Bridging Continents". As club President I propose a variation of this theme for our coming year: "Enjoy Rotary while Building Communities and Bridging Continents". Many of the activities of the Monroe Rotary Club fit nicely with the community and vocational aspect of this theme. I feel we can do more with International Service and supporting the Rotary Foundation.
Past Rotary International President Cliff Dockterman once said, looking at his watch, "Well, I've spoken about as long as it seems!" I'll close by saying that the focus of our club's leadership this coming year will be on fellowship, integrity, and service. I'm excited about getting started and look forward to a productive and rewarding Rotary year of "Enjoying Rotary while Building Communities and Bridging Continents".
Thank you.