Lyse Emond, District Governor

Text of Presentation by District Governor Lyse G. Emond to the Rotary Club of Burlington, Vermont, November 7, 2005

The final chapter of the history book of Rotary’s first one hundred years drew to a close on June 30th. Now you and I together are writing the first chapter of the new history book of Rotary’s second hundred years. We honor our glorious past but we are also looking toward the future — a future in which you as Rotarians during the first year of our second century will play a very important role. You are charting the course for our next one hundred years of service to humanity.

This is a special responsibility that you assume — a unique opportunity and privilege to launch new ideas to instill new enthusiasm and to share the courage to change. We are the leaders who are setting the goals for the future of Rotary. Our thinking and work will have a decisive impact on the future of this organization. The new Rotary century is an historical moment and we are set to lead it!

Literacy and education

Literacy and education are the most basic needs that must be met for a person to live a decent life. Rotary clubs have developed an impressive array of projects designed to help people learn to read, to write and to count. Rotarians have equipped schools, educated teachers and given children the clothing to attend classes. And in communities around the world, Rotarians have taken the time to visit schools, reading to children and listening to them read in return. Rotarians’ considerable experience and commitment are still needed in addressing this problem, which limits so many people in their efforts to care for themselves and their families. So let us together continue our efforts to reach a literate world for everyone.

Water

Water is even more essential as a basic need that must be met for a person to live an acceptable life. Because of Rotary Club water projects, hundreds of thousands of people now have convenient access to clean and safe water. Many health benefits are associated with clean water and adequate sanitation. Water management issues also affect the food supply.

Continuity and cooperation

Continuity is definitely a key word for Rotary’s future, but there is another one that is just as important: Cooperation, or togetherness if you like. The issues of literacy, clean water, hunger and health are all of such a magnitude that we Rotarians can never reach our goals in these areas all by ourselves. Therefore in our ambition to work for a better world let’s seek cooperation with other entities working with the same issues.

Membership

Membership will still be an issue for Rotary that is a part of our continuity. Rotary is sometimes like a big party: Without guests there is no party. Without Rotarians there is no Rotary. Membership will be a part of the Presidential Citation, a citation that is easy to understand and reachable for everyone. In the membership portion of the citation, Rotary International President Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar is asking each club to work for a net increase in membership of one or more Rotarians.

The most important element in Rotary is members. There would be nothing without them. With them, everything Rotary hopes for becomes possible. It is clearly evident that we cannot talk about membership development or enlistment without talking about membership retention. There are more Rotarians leaving us than joining us. We must devise a plan and a method that will ensure a much higher rate of retention.

The question is: Why do so many choose to leave Rotary?

Out of every 100 men and women who leave Rotary, 13 do so through death. Consider the other reasons: Six claim to leave for health reasons, 12 by loss of classification, 30 cease to live or work in their club’s territorial limits. 17 from non-attendance and 22 quit for other reasons. Frequently cited under “other reasons” are weak leadership, poorly planned meetings, lack of service activities and failure to challenge members to service. Many of these reasons suggest dissatisfaction with the programs and projects of their Rotary club. A late member of my Rotary club — and a very good friend — said to me many times, “Lyse, there are only two reasons why members leave Rotary: They are priced out or worked out.”

You may wonder what has happened to the family of Rotary? The answer is that the family of Rotary is still here. As a group, you are the family of Rotary, served by this meeting. A club is the family of Rotary, served by the club committee. Youth are the family of Rotary served by the Rotaract Committee, RYLA Committee and Youth Exchange Committee. The family of Rotary is everywhere and alive and healthy.

Service Above Self

Let us together continue to show the world the great leadership of Rotary through Service Above Self!

What has been accomplished by others is now Rotary history. It is now our time to add to our glorious history. What is said of us in the future will be determined by you and me.

Service Above Self is a slogan that unites us as an organization and has deep roots in our past.

When I joined Rotary several years ago, I was proud to take my place in an organization that stood for service, integrity and high ethical standards in business and professional life. I feel that pride today. I am proud to be a part of this great organization, proud to be here, and especially proud to have the honor of talking to you.

I encourage you to carry out service projects that will benefit your community and your world. Try to find ways to put Service Above Self to help the illiterate, improve health and alleviate hunger through water management, and develop productive partnerships with other organizations.

Ethics and Leadership

Let me share with you some thoughts on the topics of ethics and leadership. Do we still have morals in Rotary? Do some only want new members so that they may win prizes? Do some only want to be a member only to further their own businesses?

The original concepts of Rotary still hold true; “High ethical standards in business and professions.”

Correct principles are like a compass; it is always pointing the way. And if we know how to read it, we won’t get lost, confused or fooled by conflicting voices and values.

Principles apply at all times, in all places. They surface in the form of values, ideas, norms and teachings that uplift, fulfill, empower and inspire people. People and civilizations who have operated in harmony with correct principles, have prospered.

Who is responsible for Rotarians acting ethically? All of us — it is not just the District Governor or Club President — every single Rotarian is responsible for their own actions. Every Rotarian knows that there are some aspects of our service that are discretionary, and other aspects that must be followed exactly.

As a Rotarian, you have the ultimate responsibility for your actions; you are the person to decide if you are going to act ethically.

We in Rotary need to be vigilant. We need to set an example. We need to pass on the message to others, in particular to the young people in our communities. We must lead by example. This badge that we wear — with much pride — should give others in our communities, both business and social, the confidence to think: “You are a Rotarian..... I can trust you.”

The Rotary Foundation

Rotary International could not have become the world’s most respected volunteer organization without the support and vital programs of The Rotary Foundation.

Rotarians know that a foundation can improve the quality of life of millions of suffering, underprivileged people, by putting into action our ideals of service: honesty, integrity, and high ethical behavior.

• 37,000 Ambassadorial Scholars have gone overseas to study and act as goodwill Ambassadors.

• Matching Grants for a total of almost two hundred million dollars have been awarded to carry out humanitarian efforts where they are needed most.

• 11,000 Group Study Exchange teams comprising some 48,000 young professionals have traveled overseas to learn about the customs and professional life of another country.

• 276 Health, Hunger and Humanity Grants totaling more than 71 million dollars have supported large-scale humanitarian projects in 74 countries.

• The Polio Plus program has committed some 537 million dollars to ensure that more than two billion of the world’s children have been immunized against this devastating disease.

• The Permanent Fund provides an endowment that will permit our Foundation to continue its work and meet the urgent needs of the future.

• “Every Rotarian, Every Year” is an effort designed to increase annual giving to our Foundation.

We can be proud of our Foundation’s achievements — and of the generous support of Rotarians.

Funding is important – it is the means to achieving our ultimate goal, which is service. Throughout the world Rotarians are using Foundation support to make this world a better place. All of this good happens because of Rotarians and your Foundation. The Rotary Foundation is your Foundation.

Pride is often the only reward Rotarians will receive. Helping people we may never meet in a place we may never visit. We need to continue our vital humanitarian and educational work, and above all - we must support the Rotary Foundation.

Closing Remarks

Abraham Lincoln once said: “Every man is proud of what he does well, and no man is proud of what he does not do well.”

My wish to all of you is that at the end of your Rotary year, each and every one of you, will be able to look back with pride at a job well done. Service Above Self. Service is what Rotary is all about. Service is why we are here.

I wish you the greatest success in the coming year.

Let us go out and do it!