DG's December 2004 Newsletter
December is Family Month, a time to reflect on Rotary's beginnings
and the meaning of Rotary today.
Dear Fellow Rotarians,
Almost 100 years ago, a lonely young lawyer named Paul P. Harris decided
to start a club with three of his friends. Although they represented different
vocations, they all had one thing in common: they originally came from
small towns. Living in the bustling city of Chicago, the four missed the
warm, small-town hospitality and camaraderie of their youth. Harris wrote
in "My Road to Rotary" in 1948, to the members of the small group which
came together in the big city of Chicago, rotary was like and oasis in
the desert.
In an attempt to recreate an atmosphere of caring, Harris formed a Club
that created a sense of family and community that would become the bedrock
of Rotary. Since Rotary�"s beginning with the original four founders,
the organization has become a world family⿿ with members from all
walks of life in 166 countries.
The RI Board has designated December as Family Month, an ideal
time to reach out to family members and involve them in Rotary. The Family
of Rotary Task Force is providing information and support to Rotary Clubs
and districts in an effort to emphasize the first Objective of Rotary:
to encourage and foster the development of acquaintance as a opportunity
for service.
Rotary offers many ways to celebrate Family Month. Members can visit Rotarians
who are ill, encourage spouses and children to participate in service
projects and fellowship events, and invite qualified family members to
join a Rotary Club. We also should make a special effort to remember the
families of deceased Rotarians, who may need our care and support.
It�"s important to integrate our own families into the family of Rotary.
Rotary should be something that brings families together not a force
that pulls them apart. Rotary Clubs and districts can offer diverse service
and social activities that appeal to all members. This is critical if
we want to attract younger members, who may have children and other demands
on their time.
I have met many outstanding individuals during my 36 years as a Rotarian.
For me, the best part of Rotary has always been the fellowship. Even when
I visit Clubs in other countries, I feel as though I'm among friends.
Paul Harris once said, Friendship was the foundation rock on which
Rotary was built and tolerance is the element which holds it together.⿿
Invite a relative, friend or business colleague to share in the joys of
Rotary. During this centennial year, celebrate your place in the largest
family in the world.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL DISTRICT 5360 ROTARIANS AND THEIR FAMILIES
Wendy and I send you our warmest wishes for the Holiday Season.
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