District Governor Jeremy's July Message

 

Dear fellow Rotarians, Rotaractors and Family of Rotary,           

 

Welcome to the start of the 2013/14 Rotary year! PDG Vance and Monica have passed the mantel to Michelle and I, after a highly successful year, taking the district to new heights and in only 12 short months we will be doing likewise to DGN Paul and Kay! So what can we achieve in the 365 days in between?

The answer of course is plenty and the great news is that your District and your Club Leadership Teams have had the plenty of opportunities to prepare thoroughly for the coming year. I want to congratulate and thank each of you for the time, effort and energy that you've invested as you’ve prepared your plans for the coming year. It is essential now, however, that we implement these plans and carry them through. If not, all of our training and preparation will have gone to waste and we can’t afford that to happen - nor will we let it!

One thing for sure is that the 8,760 short hours that make up the 2013/14 Rotary year will be gone before we know it. So we can't afford to wait - let's put our plans in action from the very first day of this Rotary year. If we invest the time now, then the rest of the year will go well for us. The next two months are therefore the key to our success!

RI President Ron Burton has challenged each of us to Engage Rotary, Change Lives and the best way for us to achieve this, is for every last one of us to get actively involved in at least one area of our club that we enjoy and where we can best put your skills and vocation to good use.  Regardless whether you are the newest or most experienced Rotarian, you have significant value to offer your club and community, whether it is in humanitarian, club service, youth service or our Rotary Foundation. It is your responsibility, as a Rotarian, to contribute your time and talent and it’s your President and Committee Chairs’ responsibility to ask you to get involved! So please make their life easier by smiling and saying yes when they do and if they don't – remind them that you’re ready and willing!

 

I’ve also challenged your board to make your club meetings as vibrant and enticing as possible - well organised with strong guest speakers and programmes. We all need to enjoy Rotary to stay engaged and strong weekly meetings and regular fellowship events are common threads that run through the most successful Rotary clubs.

 

2013/14 is an exciting year for Rotary. We are “This Close” to eradicating Polio and can be rightly proud of our Foundation and its successes, which will only be strengthened as we roll out the new grants model. Our District theme this year, Building our Future with Vision, embraces the need for us to continue to build and plan for the future.  However more than anything, 2013/14, is the opportunity for you to make your personal mark as a Rotarian.

 

So let’s make 2013/14 the best year yet for our Clubs, the communities we serve and our District as we Engage Rotary, Change Lives.

 

Yours in Rotary Service,

 

 

Jeremy Hurst

 

Governor 2013/14

District 7020

Rotary International