The Future Of Rotary Is In Your Hands

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The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands The Rotary International President John Kenny announced in January last year that the theme for Rotary 2009-10 to be “The future of Rotary is in your hands.” The theme acknowledges the important role individual Rotary club will play in shaping the future of Rotary. President Kenny said that “The future of Rotary will not be shaped at Rotary International headquarters -- it will be shaped in each and every Rotary club.” When I read about this report, I couldn’t help but wonder about its underlying meaning. As I thought it over, it suddenly dawned on me that even for such a cosmopolitan organization as Rotary, everyone has to be involved if it is to accomplish a great task. The late president of the United States, John F. Kennedy once said, “Don’t ask what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” And I guess for Rotarians, it is apt to say that “Do not ask what Rotary can do for you, but ask what you can do for Rotary.” You are none other than the foundation stone of the organization. That explains why President Kenny said, “Each one of us is standing on the shoulders of generations of Rotarians past, and it is our responsibility to determine Rotary’s future.” To know more about the story behind the theme, I did some research about the Rotary. Here is what I learn about. The world’s first service club, the Rotary Club of Chicago, was formed by Paul Harris, an attorney who wished to capture in a professional club the same friendly spirit he had felt in the small towns of his youth. The Rotary name derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among members’ offices. As Rotary grew, its mission expanded beyond serving club members’ professional and social interests. Rotarians began pooling their resources and contributing their talents to help serve communities in need. The

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