Rotary
International Ray Klinginsmith's February 2011 Message
February 2010
Rotary DNA!
My fellow Rotarians
This Rotary year features
a culture of innovation in which we are looking at all aspects of
our policies, practices, and procedures to see if they can be modernized
and improved. Not surprisingly for an old and large organization
like ours, we are identifying many areas that could, and should,
be brought up to date.
But at the same time,
I fully recognize that some things are so significant in Rotary's
success that they are sacrosanct. They are referred to in the RI
Strategic Plan as our core values, but I prefer to call them our
DNA. They are the characteristics that distinguish Rotary from all
other organizations. They are the essence of who Rotarians are and
what Rotarians have in common around the world.
The five core values
named in the RI Strategic Plan are fellowship, service, integrity,
diversity, and leadership. Young people prefer the word networking
to our traditional word of fellowship, but to me they are equivalent.
Both words lead to lasting friendships in our clubs, which keep
us together between projects and which make Rotary membership truly
priceless. Friendship is clearly the most essential element of Rotary's
DNA!
Rotarians should not
worry that the current emphasis on modernization will damage our
core values. That would be alien to Cowboy Logic, which includes
the admonitions "Remember that some things are not for sale"
and "Know where to draw the line." I want to assure Rotarians
that we will not alter the values and attitudes that have made Rotary
a premier organization – one that is now on the world stage
through PolioPlus!
We have so much to be
proud of as Rotarians. This is our finest hour, and our best days
are still ahead as we help our clubs to be Bigger, Better, and Bolder.
Along with our five core values, persistent progress is another
prestigious part of Rotary's DNA!
Ray Klinginsmith
Building Communities
/ Bridging Continents
President, Rotary International, 2010-11
TRF Chairman's
February 2011 Message
Promoting World
Understanding through Future Vision
As February is World
Understanding Month it could be a good time to think of the international
service provided by Rotarians, clubs, and districts in light of
the Future Vision pilot.
District 9800 (Australia)
has allocated an amount of its district grant funds to send a medical
team to Timor-Leste to implement a training program for midwives
to help reduce the mortality rate of mothers and infants during
childbirth. The district has also budgeted an amount to install
a solar-powered water pump for a school and neighboring community
in Tanzania.
District 2070 (San Marino;
Italy) is planning for a number of large district grant activities,
including sending medical volunteers to humanitarian projects in
Kosovo, Peru, and Madagascar, medical equipment to Congo, and a
vocational training team to District 7490 (New Jersey, USA).
The Rotary Club of San
Ignacio, Belize (District 4250), is host sponsor together with the
international sponsor Rotary Club of South Cowichan (Mill Bay),
B.C., Canada (District 5020), on a project to construct an open
drainage system on the campus of Sacred Heart College (high school)
in Belize to prevent flooding of the school and the breeding of
mosquitos that transmit dengue fever. There is also being implemented
a multiplatform public health education campaign in cooperation
with school authorities, the municipality, and community leaders,
which will make the project sustainable.
There are several similarly
good projects being implemented in many places throughout the world,
all leading up to Building Communities – Bridging Continents
through Service Above Self.
Carl-Wilhelm_Stenhammar
Foundation Trustee Chair, 2010-11
Source: Rotary International
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