Rotary
International John Kenny's July Message
July 2009
My fellow Rotarians,
It is traditional in
Rotary that each Rotary International president is given the opportunity
every month to write a message to all Rotarians in the pages of
this magazine. I am grateful for this tradition, which gives me
the opportunity to communicate with every one of you directly, for
it is my firm belief that The Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands.
It is a great honor
to have been chosen as the first RI president from Scotland in the
104 years of this organization, and to have the privilege of serving
the Rotarians of the world. Because there is no RI – no Board
of Directors or president, no world headquarters or Rotary convention
– without the ordinary weekly meeting of Rotarians in our
own home clubs.
In Rotary, everything
we are, and everything we aspire to become, lies in the hands of
Rotarians in their clubs. If our clubs are congenial and our meetings
well run, if our service is carefully planned and competently carried
out, if our members are qualified, honest, and respected in their
vocations and communities, then all of Rotary will thrive. This
is why I say The Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands.
Water, health and hunger,
and literacy will be our emphases in the year ahead. In this Rotary
year, I ask Rotarians everywhere to continue to learn from our experiences
and to build upon our successes. I ask you all to continue to work
for the health and well-being of not only children but their families
and people everywhere. I ask you particularly to focus on water
and sanitation, as the scarcity of clean water is an increasingly
serious issue in many parts of the world.
In Scotland, we have
a saying that I’m fond of quoting: “We must look beyond
our own parish pump.” It means that we must look beyond our
own home and our own community. We must be aware that ours is only
one community, of one country, of the many communities and countries
in this world.
In every one of those
communities, there is work to be done. As Rotarians, we will not
stand idly by. As Rotarians, we will accept our responsibility.
We can, and we must. For we know that Rotary is only as great as
its clubs – and our clubs are only as great as the members
within them.
The Future of Rotary
Is in Your Hands.
John Kenny
President, Rotary
International
TRF Chairman's
July 2009 Message
A Road Map for our Foundation's
Future
As we begin our new
Rotary year, we look out upon a landscape of challenges and possibilities.
We are at the beginning of a new journey together – and, as
with every journey, it is a good idea to begin with a map. This
is why, every year, we set goals for our Rotary Foundation. They
help us stay focused on where we’re going, and they keep us
all traveling in the same direction, on the same Rotary path.
It should be no surprise
to any Rotarian that our first goal in 2009-10 will be the eradication
of polio. This is Rotary’s primary goal as an organization
and will remain so until it is achieved. The direct role of The
Rotary Foundation in supporting this goal is to help meet Rotary’s
US$200 Million Challenge and to raise awareness that the fight against
polio is not yet over.
Our second goal is to
work through our Foundation to achieve a better world through the
six areas of focus of the Future Vision Plan. They are:
• Peace and conflict prevention/resolution
• Disease prevention and treatment
• Water and sanitation
• Maternal and child health
• Basic education and literacy
• Economic and community development
Our third goal is to
implement the Future Vision Plan, which will help revitalize and
strengthen our Foundation so it can adequately support another century
of Rotary service. And our fourth goal is to support the Every Rotarian,
Every Year initiative and the Permanent Fund so all of our Foundation’s
good work may continue.
I am glad to be embarking
on this new Rotary journey with you. The Future of Rotary Is in
Your Hands – and the future of our Foundation is as well.
Glenn E. Estess Sr.
Foundation Trustee Chair
Source: Rotary International
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