Page 6 - 2022年7月號

Telling
our stories

E very month since I joined Rotary, I’ve

looked forward to reading this magazine,
especially the opening essay from our
Rotary president. I’ll admit that as much as
I appreciate a digital copy, I still revel in the
tactile sensation of sitting down and leafing through
the magazine’s glossy pages. They are a treasure trove
of photos and memorable stories about our great
organization — the one we all know and love. I have
learned so much over the years about service projects PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
and the lives that each of you have transformed.
As a communications professional, I have longed
for the day our stories would be a regular part of
mainstream media and our flagship magazine might
populate doctor’s offices, coffee shops, or anywhere
else people sit, wait, and browse. It’s great that
Rotary members are better informed about all we do
— and wouldn’t it be that much better if more people
knew our stories?
All this was top of mind as I thought about our
plans for promoting Rotary worldwide during the
upcoming year. Over the next 12 months, we are going
to shine a light on projects that put Rotary service on
display to the world, and we are going to do it strategically. Nick and I will
focus on some of the most impactful, sustainable, and scalable Rotary
projects from our areas of focus, in what we call the Imagine Impact Tour.
We are inviting top-tier journalists, thought leaders, and influencers
to use their channels to help us raise awareness by reaching people who
want to serve but have not yet realized they can do it through Rotary.
But there was another important issue to consider — our carbon
footprint. I take seriously Rotary’s emerging leadership position on
environmental issues. The example set by our members during the
COVID-19 pandemic is fundamental to how we carve out our future.
That means we will harness digital technology to tell our stories —
we will be tweeting, posting, and “going live” to anyone who will listen. “We are going
We must consider the environment, and part of that means not always
traveling but continuing to connect in meaningful ways as we have for to shine
PHOTOGRAPH: MONIKA LOZINSKA/ROTARY INTERNATIONAL how we gather just a little bit differently. For example, if we travel to put Rotary
the past two years.
a light on
Of course, we are social people, and we still need to be together.
projects that
We simply need to be more mindful of our decisions and think about
visit a project, we will plan successive visits in neighboring areas.
So, what are your stories and who can help tell them? I hope you
service on
might consider your own Imagine Impact efforts — your story might
display to
be something you can promote just as easily on social media or during
a Zoom call. Think about ways to showcase notable projects in your
the world,
clubs and districts.
We all feel the impact that Rotary service and values have on us.
and we are
Now it’s our opportunity to share that feeling with others.
going to do it
JENNIFER JONES
President, Rotary International

4 ᇃᢊ׭ᎈȁ2022.7 strategically.”