Page 6 - 2023年1月號

Building connection through comfort and care PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

R otary recently surveyed our members and another, and treating every Rotary Jones gathers with

found something that should be unsurpris-
member as equally valuable — no
Rotaract members
at World Polio Day
ing but still caused many of us in Rotary
matter how long we have been a
2022 and Beyond:
leadership to sit up and pay attention: The
member or what position we hold.
A Healthier Future
single most important factor in member People like me in Rotary leader- for Mothers and
satisfaction is the club experience. How at home you ship can offer all kinds of advice Children, an event
at the World Health
feel in your club, how rewarding club meetings are, about how to make your club ex-
Organization in
and how engaged you feel in service projects. perience more valuable. But what’s Geneva.
I have seen this firsthand across the Rotary world most important is for everyone
this year. When members feel an emotional connec- in every Rotary club to speak up and listen to one
tion to their club, they cannot imagine leaving. And another. We should never be afraid to share with our
that connection is often forged in “Rotary moments,” fellow Rotary member what we expect to get out of
when people feel that special connection to the our membership and have an open discussion about
people around them and the impact of their service. how to make that happen.
Our Imagine Impact Tour is all about shining a light To lead a Rotary club is to invite such dialogue and
on those Rotary moments and encouraging our mem- to be willing to try new approaches. Good leadership
bers to tell their stories. is giving it away. Propping others up. Allowing others
But there’s something else that makes an enor- to feel the victory.
mous difference in building and sustaining that I have one last request for club leaders. We still
connection. It’s the comfort and care of our members need to do more worldwide to increase our female
— both Rotarians and Rotaractors. As my Rotary membership. It’s up a bit this year, but I know we
PHOTOGRAPH: MONIKA LOZINSKA care of each other — genuinely show concern for each from surpassing 1.2 million Rotarians again. So let’s
friend Todd Jenkins says, “People can’t see how you
can and must do better. Rotary is growing again. As
I write this, we’re just a handful of members away
think, but they sure can see your actions.”
We are in the relationship business, and if we take
redouble our efforts to bolster our clubs with great
other — then we will make friends for life, and we will
new members, then keep them for life by providing
do anything to widen that circle of friendship.
comfort and care.
The question is: How do we live with our eyes wide
open and do the things that really matter? We do this JENNIFER JONES
4 by taking time for each other, actively listening to one President, Rotary International
ᇃᢊ׭ᎈȁ2023.1