Page 8 - Gears and Ears September 2013

From Rotary International

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RI President-elect Ron Burton will ask Rotarians to Engage
Rotary, Change Lives in 2013-14.

He unveiled his theme during the opening plenary session of the
2013 International Assembly in San Diego, California, USA,
the annual training event for incoming district governors.

“If we really want to take Rotary service forward, then we
must make sure that every single Rotarian has the same feeling
about Rotary that each one of us here has today,” Burton said.
“We need to make sure that every Rotarian has a meaningful
role to play, that they’re all making a contribution, and that
their contribution is valued.”

Burton said the July launch of The Rotary Foundation’s new grant model, Future Vision, makes it an exciting time to be a
Rotarian. He said the new grant model, which has been used by about 100 pilot districts since 2010, represents a new era for
the Foundation, and will help Rotarians get excited about Rotary’s ability to change lives.

“It takes everything that is wonderful about Rotary and raises it to a new level — by encouraging bigger, more sustainable
projects while providing increased flexibility for local projects, both of which address the needs of the community being
served,” he said.

Burton asked the incoming district governors to take the lead in helping their clubs through the transition, with the assistance of
their district Rotary Foundation chairs, who also attended the assembly this year. The training sessions are focusing heavily on
equipping these leaders to go back to their districts as experts on the new grant model.

Before the assembly, Burton asked each of the incoming governors to make a donation in their name to The Rotary
Foundation in order to demonstrate leadership by example. At the assembly, he announced that all 537 governors-elect had
complied; along with donations from all RI Board members and Foundation Trustees, the contributions totaled US$675,412.

“Now, I have to believe that some of this is money that The Rotary Foundation probably would not have received had I not
asked. And I think that this is an important lesson” he said. “If you want somebody else to do something, you can just sit
around and wait for them to get the idea, or you can ask.”

Burton applied that lesson also to membership development, which he insisted is the responsibility of every Rotarian. He told
the audience that although he had been an active member of the Key Club, a youth program of Kiwanis International, he went
on to join Rotary simply because the Rotary Club of Norman, Oklahoma, invited him to.

“You have to ask,” he said.

But Burton emphasized that the job doesn’t end when a new member joins: “It’s not done until that new member is
engaged in Rotary, inspired by Rotary, and uses the power of Rotary service to change lives.”

Click the picture above to see a brief video of a portion of President Burton’s speech