Eric Brenot's Goals for Rotary year 2021 - 2022

Translation of Eric's speech at the Pont--a-Mousson Club's handover meeting on 10th jULY 2021


Speech by Eric Brenot, President of the Rotary Club of Pont-a-Mousson on 10th July 2021.

Gathered together tonight for our traditional handover ceremony, I am pleased that we are able to meet in person. This special time of handover is the symbol of our sustainability, the evi9dence of our presence and our cotinuing projects year after year, for nearly 66 years at Pont-a-Mousson.

The year that has just ended has been particularly difficult in view of the disease prevention regulations that prevented us from meeting regularly to work closely and enjoy each other's company.   I would particularly like to pay tribute to our Past President Jean-Claude whose ski8ll enabled us to undertake our projects during these difficult times;  transactions via Zoom are not always easy.   Under his presidency we were unable to meet together resulting in an absence of conviviality, but continued to SERVE, through  projects previously mentioned by Jean-Claude..

Our Rotary wheel continues to turn, and a new year begins under the (international) leadership of Shekhar Mehta, an Indian, an accountant by training and working in real estate, whose family has been hard hit by this ever-changing virus.

I propose to focus on four main themes, this year, including two that are a recurring theme.

- The first is this year's theme proposed by our international president:SERVING TO CHANGE LIVES: what we do will change the lives of our people beneficiaries, whether materially, physically or mentally and therefore for the better.

- The second theme and our first recurring one is that: each one introduces someone new (to the Club).   To achieve our objectives we ought to be more numerous, and it is the responsibility of everyone to contribute to membership growth.   Each members should endeavour, during the course of the year should encourage someone new to get to know us, and if they share our values, to become a member.

That seems to me to be within the reach of allreach of all.

- The third, and second recurring theme is to ‘do more, grow more’. 

My interpretation of that directive would be, in continuity with the previous one, to join forces (with other Clubs), to be more numerous in order to carry out more ambitious projects and with a stronger impact.

These messages from our international president, whether in French or English, will be able to guide our actions within the framework of the seven strategic axes of Rotary International, which are

1.     Furtherance of peace and the prevention of conflicts

2.     Prevention and treatments of diseases

3.     Provision of clean hygienic water supplies

4.     Health provision for mothers and children

5.     Literacy and provision of primary education

6.     Development of local economies

7.     Environmental protection

Finally, the fourth theme – conviviality.   If we are happy to be in each others company, projects are much easier to organise.   In the course of this year which has just started, being able to meet together unlike the passed months, always involved and more numerous we will be able to put our friendship in the service of others.

I conclude with a quotation from Montaigne “Friendship is an ounce of happiness to savour delicately,”

Bon appétit et bonne soirée

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