From the Office of the RI President
M
y fellow Rotarians: I have always thought them wisely, and the strength of character to do them
it important to bear in mind that Rotary honestly and well.
is a voluntary organisation, composed In the end, I believe that the best way to bring new
of people who are all themselves leaders. members into Rotary is the way it has been done for
When addressing such an audience, I have never generations: One member invites a carefully chosen
thought it fitting to exhort or demand. Every Rotary friend, client, or colleague to a meeting and, if the
club is and must be autonomous: The leadership match is a good one, proposes that individual for
of Rotary International exists not to control, but to membership. This is the way that our clubs remain
motivate and guide. harmonious; it is the way that new clubs become old
And so when we in Rotary speak about the clubs, and new members become Rotarians for life.
importance of membership, I believe it of the The membership challenges that we face today
utmost importance to bear in mind that the primary are considerable, and in many ways new. There is no
experience of Rotary, for the overwhelming majority denying the difficulties posed by the current global
of Rotarians, is of the club: of club meetings, club financial situation. But in the words of Henry Ford, “If
projects, and fellow club members. money is your hope for independence you will never
When Paul Harris began the first Rotary club have it. The only real security that a man will have in
104 years ago, he did not initially think of service. this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience, and
Instead, he had in mind a place where people of good ability.” And as long as we all do our jobs well, and
character, intelligence, and morals could enjoy each bring in new members carefully, this is a security we
other’s fellowship and friendship. The service came in Rotary will never lack.
later, as a natural outgrowth of the gathering of
such people.
Every good Rotarian, every member who shares
our core values, will make a club that much stronger,
and that much more attractive for others to join.
Unfortunately, it is also the case that bringing in the
wrong person can have the opposite effect. Rotarians
are and must be people of a certain caliber – people
with the capacity to do great deeds, the sense to do RI President 2009–10
4 ROTARY TODAY AUGUST 2009
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