The tree of Rotary’s service

Planting a tree has been since a long time a characteristic act in big Rotary’s events, as a symbol of the good we wish to humanity.

In adherence to the tree symbol we could bring into prominence some other symbols that could allow us to understand the beauty and the interconnection of institutional elements that we have developed along our organization’s history. The ROOTS of the tree of Rotary’s service can be identified as our CORE VALUES. Service, fellowship, diversity, integrity and leadership, are as the roots that support a tree, give stability to this tree, and guarantee its permanent nutrition and perpetuity. Our core values are enriched when they are taken as role model of Rotary’s service and feed it back with the diversity of Rotarian’s expertise, with the fellowship derived for the weekly companionship and co-participation in projects, with the integrity of conduct of Rotarians in their public and private life and with proactive leadership, directed to do good to the community we serve, utilizing the individual talents to the collective good.

It is attributed to the CAULIS the same importance we give to our AVENUES OF SERVICE, that summarize the philosophy of action of our organization and that provide them with structure as the caulis of the trees, through the Rotarian’s action in their clubs. Through the philosophy of action that we provide to the various Avenues of Service and the robust way that we trace and structure our plans, is how we will be differentiating, like in the trees, a thin structure, flexible as the caulis of a palm tree, or the robust, resistant and millenary caulis of the cedars of Lebanon. It is because e of this that the content of the Avenues establish in the various areas of service:

Club Service, in the dimensions of management and governance; Community Service, in the permanent process of identifying the needs of the community we serve, give them priority and provide solutions within our capabilities; International Service, that identifies through international cooperation the viable joint participations even in distance and eliminating it; Vocational Service, with the action through our professions, unique characteristic of Rotary and Youth Service determining the needs to be fulfilled to brig youth into Rotary and become our successors in serving humanity. They all as philosophy of action will perpetuate our ideals.

The SAP, vital fluid that is processed based on our core values and is conducted to materialize our ideals, have a high correlation with ROTARIANS, moral and social idealists and are without any doubt the propellers of the ideal of service and transform this ideal in completed sustainable projects, mitigating suffering and needs of those in need. Like the sap of a tree they are those that conduct and give sense and vigor to Rotary through their action in their clubs, which is where everything happens. Without the sap, the tree fades and die.

The FRUITS, or the elaborated products and are typical to any fructiferous tree, may be compared to the AREAS OF FOCUS, because they define and give identity to the effort to serve. The types of fruits through which the Rotary tree presents itself are: child and maternal health, literacy and basic education, the economic development of the community, the preservation and supply of water and sanitation, the prevention and mitigation of diseases and the great fruit of the promotion of peace and conflict resolution.

We can compare the LEAFS with our LEADERSHIP, because like them, give life, absorbs the oxygen from the ambient in which they act and give sense and volume to the Rotary’s tree of service. The

majority of them grow and stays alive in their position for one year and after this period fall to the ground and give space to new leaves that take their places and exercise their function in the new year of life of the tree of Rotary’s service. Like the leaves, after completing their cycle, they do not fall away from the tree and serve as food and fuel to be absorbed and allowing the continuity of the tree, transforming themselves in nutrients to be absorbed and redirected in a continuous and permanent feedback process.

Think about these analogies, discover your role and form of action in Rotary’s tree of service and accomplish it with effectiveness, love and dignity. Transform your tree, not in a simple subjective philosophy, but in an objective action, putting theory into practice. Rotary and Rotary have the tools you need to do it.

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