The several facets of Rotary’s Service

In the Roman mythology the figure of the god Janus had two faces and was compared in the past by Past President Barth as symbolizing the two ways to support our Rotary Foundation: financially contributing to increase its investment capacity and participating of its programs and projects to use effectively these contributions.

In the process of providing opportunities to render service, Rotary has many alternatives to serve that can be called as different directions to which we turn our face or attention. We can mention some of them:

Facing the community

That express the permanent attention to the community in each club area of action, that needs to be known, analyze and define priorities and select the projects that could solve or mitigate them;

Facing contributions

This facet implies the aspect of incentivizing contributions to the Rotary Foundation and the administrative proficiency of the clubs not to be in arrears with annual contributions to RI or the district. It is important to point out the discipline and administrative responsibility of club’s board that prepare their budgets to guarantee a cash flow that goes beyond their term to have cash to pay their dues early in the beginning of next year’s term;

Facing the organizational development

This strategic vision must take into account the growth of the capacity to serve of clubs and districts through the increase of membership, that by understanding what we do in advance, join us with clear conscience of the need of their involvement, permanent increase in their participation and use of their talents to show that their choose to become Rotarian was correct. There are two aspects in this matter in which we should evolve: the quality of our members and what we ask them to be or do;

Facing leadership development

This facet of Rotary includes the planning and development of competent and engaged leadership. Oriented since their admission in Rotary, in a systematic growth of their knowledge, they will absorb the beauty that rendering service represents. Rotary will be fulfilling its mission in relation to each of its members by transforming them in better human beings, amplifying their solidarity and the capacity to make the difference. There is a climate season to each leader. This is proven in the steps of the history of nations and organizations, There are leaders needed in times of becalmed seas and those needed in challenging and transformation times. But all our leadership must be available to Rotary and to those that allowed them to lead.

Facing the promotion of youth

Under this aspect we as Rotarians developed the capacity to influence and promote positively the future, securing the preservation of the values in which we believe in, attracting to service those who will compose the Rotary of the future. Facing towards youth, we will be hearing their claims and anxieties, so that that we offer them the right opportunities to involve their voluntarism in building a better world. It is the face turned forward, to a plan of future to humanity

that we dream to become real by adding to it our personal experience.

Facing peace and world understanding

It is through this facet that we demonstrate the humanitarian and universal way os service that we intend to practice. It goes from the peace in our homes, to the preparation of an army, but an army of generals to promote peace and conflict resolution either in the city or in the international levels. The compromise with peace is more than an ideal that we carry, it is a necessary attitude on this troubled world we live in.

Facing the completion of effective humanitarian projects

To the development of this aspect, the support and leverage given by grants and funds of our Rotary Foundation are essential. The capacity to join together and distribute the funds coming from all parts of the world where Rotary is present, to fill the needs of communities wherever they are, is a high level of solidarity to dignify the life of those in need. This will certainly promote our image and attract new members.

These several facets of Rotary to render service, shows the rich diversity that is put at our disposal for us to use along our Rotarian’s life. It is up to us to evolve in each of them and select from this kaleidoscope the forms that in each moment we are willing to exercise.

126