Greetings, fellow Rotarians and
Rotaractors!
I
am so honored to serve as your president this year. We have important work
ahead of us at Rotary, and we are going to have a lot of fun as we do it.
Last
year, we launched our five-year Action Plan
to build a stronger future for Rotary. We are working to increase our
impact, expand our reach, enhance participant engagement, and increase our
ability to adapt. The last several months have shown that we — as Rotarians
and Rotaractors — can realize these goals as we forge a new path for the
future.
Without
question, COVID-19
has posed new and previously unimaginable challenges for Rotary. But within
every challenge is perhaps an even greater opportunity. And while I could
not have known what lay ahead when I selected my theme for the year, Rotary
Opens Opportunities has even greater relevance as we begin our new Rotary
year.
I
am incredibly inspired by how our members have adapted and
responded
to COVID-19. This global pandemic has made it difficult for many of our
clubs to operate as usual, but we persevered, and over the past few months,
I’ve enjoyed connecting with my fellow Rotarians and Rotaractors in a new
way: by visiting hundreds of clubs from my home. It’s been fun to attend so
many meetings virtually. If you haven’t already, I encourage your club to
try an online meeting or add an online component, like hosting a guest
speaker from a Rotary or Rotaract club located in a different part of the
world.
As
we build a stronger future for our organization, it’s good that we are
reaching out to new people and introducing them to Rotary. It’s important
that our clubs reflect the
communities we serve. More diverse voices in our clubs and in our
leadership will help Rotary stay in touch with a changing world.
So
let’s find every opportunity to show we value each and every member. Let’s
seize this moment to build on what we’ve learned, to embrace our new
reality, to welcome new faces, and to find additional ways to shine. This
is how we will have a continuing impact on the world. And if you need
assistance along the way, Rotary offers many resources that
can help you reach your goals.
Rotary
means different things in different parts of the world, but we are all
united by our core values and by The Four-Way Test. Rotary may change, but
our values remain constant.
I
look forward to hearing about how you’re finding new opportunities to
engage and make an impact in your club and community. Rotary Opens
Opportunities, both for the people we serve and for ourselves.
Thank
you.
Holger
Knaack
RI President, 2020-21
Follow President
Knaack on Facebook.
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August
is Membership and New Club Development Month. This is the perfect time to
celebrate and recognize the amazing work of Rotarians and Rotaractors
around the world. Share the gift of Rotary by referring a prospective
member at rotary.org/join.
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