Opportunity President Annet’s August Message
Identity and a sense of belonging are part of man’s social needs. Welcome to the membership month where we have to reflect and celebrate our membership to this global family.
We are presented with an opportunity to evaluate our status at individual level; are we in Rotary or Rotary is in us? Unlike membership in many other different clubs, choosing to be a Rotarian is a commitment to the service of others! It is a call to be selfless and action oriented. It is our duty to reach out to many and grow the family; there is greater synergy with big numbers. I am therefore reminding you of our promise to bring in at least one person each this year. It is unfortunate that membership to Rotary is still stuck at one million two hundred thousand (1.2m) in fact there is a fear that this number has gone down to 1.18m. Membership needs to be enjoyed! This however can only be attained through active participation in all projects and attending fellowships. Rotary creates a new family not bound by blood, but values. This brotherhood needs to be felt and experienced.
I am grateful to those that take a minute off to check on others; this care and love binds us. Membership to Rotary is a free choice though by invitation. It however comes with duties and obligations; cardinal to this is payment of dues. Thank you to those that have taken this seriously in spite of the current economic hardships. Diversity in Rotary membership is another opportunity we cannot underrate.
Different professions, tribes, characters, size, height, different political ideologies, economic and social status, business persons, mention it, are all united in service and indeed this expands our networks. Our reach has been expanded by allowing in full time housewives and respected members of the community who are neither professionals nor business persons, what a big family to belong to! One of the amazing things in Rotary is having someone who cares about your personal life and invites others to celebrate with you on your birthday, and those of your children and spouse and also your anniversary. Not forgetting mourning with you in time of grief. The Rotary bond is so solid that when one Rotarian achieves a milestone we all celebrate.
I am encouraging you to reflect on why you joined Rotary and if your expectations have been met. No doubt you have attained what your mind could never have imagined. Friends and family as we look at what opportunities we can offer the world, let us begin by exploiting the sense of family and belonging by inviting all our acquaintances to Rotary. Evaluate the gaps in classifications and be the first to bridge them. I am grateful to the membership team led by Rotarian Mary for a job well done.
