RI President 2022-23 Jennifer
Jones
Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland
Ontario, Canada
Dear Fellow Rotarians, Rotaractors, and friends,
May 2023
I believe it is a time in our world for brave, courageous, intentional
leadership.
Last month, in this column, you heard from my dear friend Anniela
Carracedo. She is an amazing member of our Rotary family, and as
a past Interactor and now Rotarian, she is this kind of leader.
Anni shared a very personal story about coping with a panic attack,
something that I have also experienced. The outpouring and response
to this story have been tremendous and punctuate how critical it
is that we acknowledge not only our strengths but our vulnerabilities
too.
When we talk about finding space for one another — creating
comfort and care within Rotary — we're describing a club experience
where we can all feel comfortable sharing like Anni did, and we
can all empathize with and support one another. Whatever we are
facing in life, Rotary is a place where we know we're not alone.
We spend so much time helping our world, whether it's working to
end polio, cleaning up the environment, or bringing hope to communities
that need it most. Sometimes we can lose track of the need to apply
some of our energy and care to our fellow members and partners in
service.
The comfort and care of our members is the single greatest driver
of member satisfaction and retention. We need to ensure that it
remains a priority — and that we further strengthen these
bonds by performing service that helps reduce the stigma of seeking
out mental health treatment and expands access to care.
That is why I'm so heartened by President-elect Gordon McInally's
wonderful vision to help improve the global mental health system,
not only for Rotary members, but for the communities we serve.
When Gordon announced our focus on mental health at this year's
International Assembly in Orlando, Florida, he reminded us that
helping others benefits our mental health by reducing stress and
improving our mood. Studies show that performing acts of kindness
is an effective way to improve your own mental and physical health.
Rotary service brings hope to the world and joy to our lives.
Our new focus on mental health will take some time to do right,
and yet it builds on something that has been part of who we are
for 118 years. We are People of Action, and behind that action is
care, compassion, empathy, and inclusion.
Becoming champions of mental health is not only the right and kind
thing to do, it is a tool that can Create Hope in the World,
Gordon's inspiring theme for his upcoming year as president.
If we serve our members, we serve our communities, and if we can
meet people where they are and lift them up, they will imagine Rotary
in a new light and come to fully understand our value and our infinite
potential.
Jennifer Jones
President 2022-23
Trustee Chair's Message - May
2023
Ian H.S.
Riseley
Trustee Chair 2022-23
Sandringham, Victoria, Australia,
Trustee chair's
message
May 2023
"Do all the good you can, to all the people you
can, in all the ways you can, as long as ever you
can."
While we don't know its exact origin, this widely
quoted saying summarizes what Rotary and The Rotary
Foundation are all about: We do quite a lot of good,
serving people around the world in myriad ways, and
we are in it for the long haul.
How many other charities do so much good in so many
ways for so many as The Rotary Foundation?
Not only do we, the volunteers, fund most of our projects,
but we often contribute significant volunteer hours
in organizing and executing them. The "regional
offices" of our charity — also known as
Rotary and Rotaract clubs — are our reliable
go-to partners in the more than 200 countries and
geographical areas in which we operate. And when we
lack expertise in an area, we partner with outside
organizations whose trust we have earned, such as
the World Health Organization, to deliver results
on the ground that truly change lives.
Unlike some charitable organizations, we don't take
the "parachute approach" to humanitarian
work. We solve problems in a sustainable way. Before
we lift a shovel to start any Foundation project,
we conduct community needs assessments and work closely
with members of the community. The Foundation also
acts quickly when needed, such as through our disaster
response grants, as we did with the recent earthquake
in Turkey and Syria.
Accountants like me and business and community leaders
like you pay close attention to the numbers, and in
this area, the Foundation is a cut above. In funding
projects, we apply Rotary's traditions of fiscal responsibility
and ethics to ensure the best use of the resources
of our fellow members. We in Rotary are excellent
stewards of our grants, with most of the funds going
toward humanitarian support itself and relatively
little going to grant administration costs. This is
why Charity Navigator has consistently given its highest
rating to The Rotary Foundation, year after year.
Because our worldwide operation is dedicated to seven
areas of focus, volunteers and donors alike have ample
opportunities to make a difference where help is needed
most. Indeed, the potential to help through the Foundation
is limitless.
So, if you are looking for a great charity to support
or a way to do all the good you can, look no further
than The Rotary Foundation. It is truly one of the
greatest charities in the world, and it belongs to
you.
http://www.endpolio.org/donate.
Ian H.S. Riseley
Trustee Chair 2022-23
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