Change happens but knowing what we can do help direct is a good thing. We have to begin getting involved with our community at a young age if we want to make a difference.
The Rotary Club was founded in 1905 as the world's first service club. The organization was started as a place where men could fellowship together. The club now has over 33,000 clubs in 200+ countries and 1.2 million members. The club also serves as a networking opportunity.
Their responsibilities are to increase membership, participate in service projects, support the rotary club financially, and develop leaders capable of serving beyond the club level. The responsibility of individual members is service, recruitment and retention, and attendance (you've got to participate!).
The Rotary Club offers professorial diversity, which enhances the club's social atmosphere. People in different careers have different mindsets, and when they all get together, there's a plethora of different ideas and ways to look a problems.
The objects of the Rotary Club are as follows:
- encourage and foster idea of service
- getting to know people, even a little bit, is a opportunity for service
- get involved! "It takes money, but it also takes people."
- set high ethical standards in businesses and professions (integrity)
- apply ideal service in all aspects of life by being consistent in what you do and how you do it
- advance international understanding, goodwill, and peace through businesses around the world
- "improve health, support education, and alleviate poverty"
Mr. Rusevlyan mentioned many times that fellowship, along with service, is a huge part of the rotary club. The club offers a place where different people can get together on a regular basis to discuss improving life in their community.
"Sometimes we make things way to hard."
The Rotary Club saw a need and acted on it--polio. They began PolioPlus, which is a cause to get rid of the polio disease. They took this challenge on in the early 80s. Many people were scared to get involved and some didn't have the time. But someone who isn't scared is the one who can make a difference in the world. Since then, about 2 billion children under the age of 5 have been vaccinated and only 3 countries in the world are left to get the vaccination, but those countries will not allow the Rotary Club in the boarders for religious reasons.
The local cause of the Rotary Club in Florence is called the Shoals Scholar Dollars. This program will pay for students to attend Northwest Shoals Community College for twos years. The students have to have a 2.5 GPA and be a generally good kid with a financial need to qualify. Although this idea has met lots of resentment, the club knew they had to start something, somewhere. They have been raising money for the last few years and are prepared to start this program for 2014 seniors.
Mr. Rusevlyan gave us the Four Way Test, which is the way they always end their meetings. But these questions can also be used in everyday life to question decisions that we make:
- Is it the TRUTH?
- Is it FAIR to all concerned?
- Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
- Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
As humans, we hold on to what we think works. Many organizations do not cater to young people, but even though we haven't been invited to get involved, we shouldn't wait. We should make it a point to get involved ourself. We cannot wait for something, we have to make something happen.
Mr. Rusevlyan gave us two pieces of advice:
Be adaptive.
Know you're good and be willing to work.
Service Update:
I volunteered at the Salvation Army last week for a couple of hours and I'm going back this week. I'm up to about 5 hours of service and will probably finish pretty soon.
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