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Dear Fellow Rotarians,
In my travels over the past year, I've visited many strong, vibrant
clubs and districts that are transforming their communities. When
I attend their meetings, I can feel the energy. When I meet their
members, I can see they are people of action. And when I look at
their communities, I can recognize the impact of their work.I've
also visited communities with Rotary clubs that were hardly more
than social clubs. It shouldn't ever be that way. Fortunately, there's
a simple approach that I believe can help revitalize any club.
I'd like to challenge every Rotary club to come up
with at least one high-impact service project. Each club already
has the potential, the resources, to make it happen. It has the
power to change people's lives — completely.
It doesn't take millions of dollars. One of the most
transformational projects I've been a part of involved providing
a Jeep to a group of midwives in Haiti. We had asked the midwives
what we could do for them, and they told us they needed a way to
reach expectant mothers in a remote part of the country. We supplied
a Jeep, painted it pink, and put the Rotary logo on it. Three years
later, we went back to see how they were doing. They were excited
by the outcomes: They told us that the mortality rate for mothers
and infants in that region had dropped by 50 percent.
That's what I call transformational service.
But Jeeps don't last forever, and after eight years
on the road, that vehicle was on its last legs. So we bought a pink
Land Cruiser. It's still on the road, allowing the midwives to provide
prenatal care to women in that remote region.
What makes a project transformational? It doesn't
have to involve a lot of money, but it has to reach people and have
a major impact in the community. That is the key, and that is where
careful planning and thorough research come in. So do your research.
Leverage your resources. Seek partnerships that can increase your
impact. And then take action.
Of course, service is only part of what a strong club
must offer. It must also have good speakers, provide leadership
development, involve Rotaract and Interact, and bring value to its
members and reasons to participate in Rotary events.
If your club is transformational and well-organized,
everything else will follow. Members will be engaged, and new members
will be eager to join you. Fundraising will be easier: People love
to give when they see how their money is making a difference and
when they know the organization is accountable. Your club will be
vibrant, relevant, and alive — and it will Be the Inspiration
to those within its ranks as well as to the community it serves.
Barry Rassin
President 2018-19
Trustee Chair's Message - Feb.
2019
Ron D. Burton, Trustee Chair
2018-19
Trustee chair's message
Every second of every day, Rotarians are doing
good in the world through The Rotary Foundation. They are
planning, funding, implementing, and completing projects,
both locally and globally. It is a source of great pride
for us all.
To me, this is one of the unique features
of Rotary membership. You can get as involved as you choose.
You can participate in a project from beginning to end,
or you can join in anywhere in the process. But it all starts
with you and me making a gift to our Foundation so that
funds are available.
For many of us, a district grant offers the quickest and
most convenient way to participate in grant activity, because
it usually involves a local project. A district grant project
is a good way to showcase Rotary, to get publicity, to involve
prospective members as well as the beneficiaries, and to
add value to your own community.
Global grants offer us a way to participate in international
projects in one or more of our six areas of focus. As we
develop a project idea, we conduct a needs assessment to
determine what is needed in the community, the resources
required and how they can be accessed, and how to carry
out the project collaboratively with Rotarians, partners,
and others in the field. We make sure that our project includes
Rotarian involvement, benefits the greatest number of people,
and can be maintained by the local residents once it is
completed to ensure a long-term effect for the community.
We all take comfort in knowing that these steps have been
meticulously followed.
And, because of this proper stewardship and accountability,
we all continue to contribute our time, talents, and treasure.
You see, it is our Foundation. We are proud of it, and it
is truly making a difference in our world!
Ron D. Burton
Trustee Chair 2018-19
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