Rotary
International John Kenny's September 2009 Message
September 2009
My fellow Rotarians,
Lord Byron wrote, "The
days of our youth are the days of our glory." For me, that
is the line that springs to mind whenever Rotary's youth programs
are mentioned. In Rotary, September is New Generations Month –
a time to focus our attention on our programs for youth and the
role they play in shaping the Rotarians of tomorrow.
Our youth programs –
Interact, Rotaract, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, and Rotary Youth
Exchange – are some of the most important programs of Rotary.
I say this because of the unparalleled potential they have to influence
young minds and souls toward peace, goodwill, and harmony. That
potential is the greatest in youth because the experiences of our
early years never leave us; they shape who we later become. In the
words often attributed to St. Francis Xavier, "Give me a boy
until he is seven, and I will give you the man." For myself,
I would give it a bit longer than that – but there is no doubt
that the experiences of our youth have a greater formative power,
and a greater ability to shape character, than any we may have in
our adulthood.
When a teenager from
the United States has the chance to travel to India to participate
in a National Immunization Day, or when a student from Brazil spends
a year studying in Japan, that person will be forever changed. These
young people will have formed connections and affections that will
endure. They will never think about their own country, or the world,
in the same way again. Their perspective, their priorities, and
their values will have been permanently shaped by that experience
in a way that no later experiences will have the power to do. Your
hard work ensures that these experiences continue to be possible
– that these programs continue to be available, to be well
run, and to earn the trust of the participants and their families.
The impressions of youth
are strong, and they are lasting. There is never a second chance
at them. We may grow and change as we get older, and we are surely
changed by all of our experiences. But there is never another chance
to build who we are. That happens only once: in our youth.
The days of our youth
truly are the days of our glory – but through Rotary's youth
programs, those days become the glory of all of Rotary.
The Future of Rotary
Is in Your Hands.
John Kenny
President, Rotary
International
TRF Chairman's
September 2009 Message
A Strong Foundation
to Conquer Need
Mother Teresa, a longtime
friend to Rotary, was once asked why she did the work she did. There
would always be so many she could not reach. Why did she pour herself
so fully into her self-appointed task, knowing that she could never
come close to meeting all the needs?
Her answer was simple.
She said, "I do what I can, where I am, with what I have."
In Rotary, we strive
to do the same. We know very well that the world's needs are endless,
and that we can never attempt to meet them all. Two billion people
live in poverty. One billion people live without access to clean
water, and 2.6 billion without adequate sanitation. Every day, 26,000
children die needlessly.
What can Rotary hope
to do in the face of such overwhelming need?
To this I answer, we
must do what we can, where we are, with what we have. We must make
the best possible use of our resources, where they can do the most
good. We must identify the needs that we can realistically meet,
and invest the care and planning to make sure that our service is
successful. And we must steward our Rotary Foundation well, so that
we will be able to help the greatest number of people possible,
in the ways that make the greatest difference.
In Rotary, we see how
much more we can achieve when we all work together. Through our
Foundation, we are able to pool our resources and achieve even more.
And the stronger our Rotary Foundation becomes, the greater the
scope of the tasks we will be able to undertake successfully. We
will be able to do far more good, in far more lasting ways.
So much of the good
we do in Rotary happens with the support of our Rotary Foundation.
I ask each of you to continue your support – this year, and
every year – so that our good work may continue.
Glenn E. Estess Sr.
Foundation Trustee Chair
Source: Rotary International
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