Welcome to the new Rotary Year!
Each year Rotary International chooses a theme for clubs to focus on. For 2020-21, a year that promises to be unlike any other we have been provided with a theme that embodies hope and encourages us to embrace change - Rotary Opens Opportunities.
Many Rotarians, I imagine, might say, “Of course!” Rotary has, for decades, been creating and continues to create opportunities for those in need through local and international service. Rotary has and continues to provide opportunities to youth for growth, leadership and friendship. However, it should be remembered that Rotary also offers opportunities to our members that include friendship, training, development of leadership skills, opportunities to meet like minded people, exposure to issues of local, national and international importance and the opportunity to contribute to their resolution.
The theme - Rotary Opens Opportunities – is also a reminder to look for and embrace opportunities. To seize them, if need be, and consider the opportunity cost of letting them drift by. This years’ theme reminded me of a saying attributed to the 6th Century, Greek Philosopher, Heracleitus. “No one ever steps into the same river twice, for it is not the same river and you are not the same person”. When opportunities present themselves, we need to remember that life, like a river, is always flowing. If you step into it now you will surely affect the flow of the water but if you don’t, when you eventually do it will have changed and so will you. Rotary, like life, will continuously present us with opportunities. Some we may embrace, some we may need to seize and others we may allow to drift by knowing that they may never present themselves again and that if they do they may not be the same.
I look forward to serving our club as President throughout 2020-21.
Kind regards,
Angela.