Georgetown Rotary - A Message from the Club President

Here we are on the 1^st day of September, traditionally the beginning of fall, the start of the school year, and the kickoff of a momentous new year in Rotary International. Did you know that, after having the four Avenues of Service for many decades, we are adding another Avenue? Yes, joining those areas that define Rotary, Club Service, Community Service, Vocational Service, and International Service, is the brand new Avenue of New Generations Service. Isn’t it interesting that as our own Georgetown Club has been discussing how to be more inclusive and attractive to (how do I put this delicately) the younger professionals that still have children at home, RI has identified, through our Council on Legislation, the need to make additional efforts to reach out to this demographic?

Our challenge is to get us thinking outside of our comfort zones, and brainstorm the best ways to demonstrate that we are ready and willing to do what it takes to instill the Rotary credo of service to those now and future leaders who will take our place in the very near future. Let’s face it – social networking, global economic stress, the war on terrorism, and other community and world wide issues can stand to benefit from leaders living by the Four Way Test.

Our challenge is this: to involve others in our community in our spirit of service. Sounds simple, right? Nothing new there, correct? On the contrary, our goal should be to think of those who do not fit into the neat boxes of lawyer, administrator, professor, realtor, banker, doctor, business owner, etc. The next time you look at the back page of the Trumpet, look at the classifications and think of your friends and acquaintances that might not fit in one of those. Additionally, how many of us have attended a Rotaract or an Interact meeting? (guilty as charged!) If possible, get with Roger and Danny, find out when these organizations meet, and go and show your support.

We should be vitally involved in outreach, or to borrow a term from my Episcopalian upbringing, witness. It’s up to us.

Rob

Yours in Rotary,

Rob Hardy, President

(email address: robhardy@pmwifi.com)