Arrivederci My Friends

My dear Rotary friends

I started this blog to share my thoughts about Rotary and to give everyone and opportunity to have their say. It was never my intention to usurp the role of the D3300 District Trainer. It has been brought to my attention that a blog called Rotary Trainer may be the source of some confusion and that some Rotarians may errorneously believe that I am the District Trainer. For the record, I have had the privilege  in the past to serve as a Deputy District Trainer on two ocassions.

However, I want to stop this misconception. I have the utmost respect and admiration for our D3300 District Trainers, past, present and future, whom I beleive put in a great deal of effort and do a tremendous job. 

Accordingly I am ending this BLOG with immediate effect.

I have said my piece and I am very grateful for the hundreds of Rotarians who have been following this blog and sharing their views with me. I have learnt a great deal from the views you have expressed.

Thank you and GOD BLESS ALL OF US. Let us go forth to Build Communities and Bridge Continents.

2010-2011 Deja Vu

July1st, 2010. The Rotary wheel turns another revolution. Ray Klinginsmith, a corporate lawyer from the Rotary club of Kirksville, Missouri, USA takes over as RI President and  Lim Kok Beng from the Rotary Club of Pudu takes over as the Governor of our fair district.

I don’t know about you but for me it brings a sense of deja vu. Haven’t we been here before? Heard more or less the same message – grow your membership! do innovative projects, support TRF, bring in new members! enjoy fellowship, support the DG, bring more members! Attend installations, attend district seminars, attend district dinners, awards, the lot. I love you, you love me, we’re a happy family. All that’s missing is Barney as our mascot!

 

Amid this calamity many a Rotarian is lost and eventually leaves Rotary. It is easy in life to get burned out. This is true of Rotary too. There are many things in our day that stress us out and prevent us from having a fullfilled day. The rituals of Rotary sometimes can be tiring and mundane and have the effect of wearing us down.

Don’t let it. I want to encourge you to find your passion for Rotary and and recharge your commitment to the unfinished task of humanitarian service. RI President Ray asks us to apply “cowboy logic” and make Rotary clubs “bigger, better, and bolder.”  He says the fundamental principles of cowboy logic are taking pride in your work, talking less and saying more, doing what has to be done, and remembering that some things just aren’t for sale. Integrity does not have a price nor does our commitment to Rotary.

In a time when altruism is waning, we need inspiration. Inspiration to be better than what we really are. One of the things that keeps Rotary fresh is that a new group of people come in every year with new and fresh ideas. My hope is that DG Kok Beng, his team and all the incoming Presidents and their Boards, will look to providing us with this inspiration in large measure. We need a positive message that is seen in action, rather than words. When we ask others to be charitable, we must lead by example and show them the way. This is the inspiration Rotary needs in our District, the inspiration that comes from deeds and not just words!

Let me end by sharing with you the great words of Edward Everett Hale,

I am only one,
But still I am one.
I cannot do everything,
But still I can do something;
And because I cannot do everything
I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.