Rotary
International John Kenny's October 2009 Message
September 2009
My fellow Rotarians,
There are many service
organizations in the world today, but none so old or so successful
as Rotary. There are many reasons for that, and Vocational Service
is one of them. This
year, I wish you to place a special emphasis on Vocational Service,
which is sometimes the forgotten Avenue of Service in Rotary.
High ethical standards
in business and personal life are still as important today as they
were in 1905. Indeed, many of the problems our world is facing today
have been caused by the failure to observe such standards in business
affairs.
Vocational Service,
in Rotary, means that we are committed to honest business and unassailable
ethics, and that we are equally committed to using our vocational
skills and advantages to help others. The idea is simple enough
– but it is unique to Rotary.
Many service organizations
are open to anyone who wishes to join. That has never been the case
in Rotary. Rotarians only seek out as members those who are qualified
– those who have the character, the ability, and the resolve
to make a real contribution to their club.
I have long believed
that the bedrock of Rotary is our commitment to ethical behavior.
It has been putting what's right above what's convenient –
and Service Above Self – that has made Rotary different from
the rest. That is why we must always remember that whatever we do,
we are each the public face of Rotary. We are each the standard-bearers
of our organization. What one member does, for good or for ill,
reflects on all of us.
So much of what we've
achieved as an organization has come about because of the trust
the world has in Rotary and in Rotarians. That trust has been a
major part of our success in polio eradication – the fact
that we are known in every community, and known to be people of
goodwill and good hearts.
If we wish to see our
organization grow and prosper, we must keep Vocational Service front
and center in our minds and actions. We must seek out skilled and
determined men and women of character. We must do what is right,
even when it is inconvenient. And we must always, always, put Service
Above Self.
The Future of Rotary
Is in Your Hands.
John Kenny
President, Rotary
International
TRF Chairman's
October 2009 Message
With Polio, our determination
must not waver
On 24 October, we mark World Polio Day. It is a time to reflect
on the progress we have made and to strengthen our resolve for the
work ahead. It is a time to raise awareness of our efforts to eradicate
polio, and to help meet Rotary’s US$200 Million Challenge.
We have come a long
way. We have reduced the number of polio cases by over 99 percent,
from more than 350,000 a year in the 1980s to about 1,650 in 2008.
We have brought the number of endemic countries from 125 to 4. And
we have vaccinated over two billion children.
We are proud of these
accomplishments, and we are closer than ever to achieving our goal
of worldwide eradication. But we must recognize that our greatest
enemy is complacency. We cannot slacken our efforts now, because
as long as there is wild poliovirus anywhere, the disease can easily
spread again. The number of cases in endemic countries is down this
year, but the number of cases in countries where polio has been
reintroduced has increased significantly – a reminder of how
polio knows no borders, and how vigilant we must remain.
Polio is still endemic
in Afghanistan, India, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Difficult terrain,
civil unrest, remote settlements, poor sanitation, and terrible
poverty are just some of the obstacles to immunization. But we,
and our partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, are
determined to continue our work with persistence and creativity.
I have been inspired
by the incredible strides already made this year: In one 10-day
period, a total of 222,270,331 children in 22 countries were immunized
against polio. The effort and the commitment are phenomenal. This
is a testament to the resolve that has brought us this far –
and that will soon bring us to our goal of complete eradication.
Glenn E. Estess Sr.
Foundation Trustee Chair
Source: Rotary International
Copyright © 2003-04
Rotary eClub NY1 * Updated 2009
Design & Maintenance of this site by TechnoTouch
e-Strategists
