The flagship of Rotary

Throughout times the human being has always been fascinated in relation to the sea. Some love to sail, others are afraid and maybe for some reason. Only in the sea we can feel the mix of the human senses, that can be observed, because the oceans are like our own life. Sometimes they are easy and calm, sometimes difficult and turbulent and some-times frightening.

But one of the great feelings that the oceans develop on any human being is that of eternal permanence.

In which way can we observe these wonders that the ocean of life presents to us? Not others than to discover new worlds of service, give a sense of permanence and important values that we achieve when boarding on a ship, the flagship of Rotary.

The ship of Rotary has the adequate shape to navigate in any ocean, face any storm and always arrive on a safe port. She has the most modern equipment and ideas, have a well chosen captain in tune with the crew and that is launched every year on first of July. She is replete with a precious load - the innumerous projects developed by thousand of clubs around the world - that when delivered is capable of promoting the improvement of the destination community.

We have our compass no navigate in the right bearing, represented by the constellation of dreams of the humanity for peace and understanding and given by the Object of Rotary, its values and the Four Way Test.

She is a ship of well structured masts that support the sails which will make good use of the winds, which like the humanity are always changing direction. They are now five masts, represented by the five

Avenues of Service. The most recently incorporated is the dedicated to service to Youth that increases our ship’s navigation power to conduct us more effectively to the future. The best orientation given to the sail of each mast will depend on the optimal use of the wind that will keep blowing. These are not placid times. On the contrary, the winds are blowing with all their strength.

What we are revising is a new bearing and a new plan for the trip the Strategic Plan - that is capable of conducting this ship in a more audacious and better way.

The flagship of Rotary is the ship of Good Will. She is not new, being useful for more than one hundred and ten years. She has been tested and becoming stronger and more reliable.

On a Norwegian book, “The mirror of the king”, between the advices from a father to his son, he says: “Take good care of your ship, leaving it nice to be seen and then competent and skilled people will like to navigate on and be part of her crew and she will be well conducted”.

The discipline and the crew’s activities involve a variety of services, like the constant waterproofing of the hull, lubricate and maintain the machines and pumps, painting, cleaning, all of them necessary during the trip, not forgetting the watching shifts, pilot, board log and daily food provision.

The rust is a constant problem and must be taken care of, repaired and in some cases promoting the substitution of the damaged part.

Where is the Rotary’s ship going? What does she plans to reach? Where a ship is going depends on how talented and effective way the rudder is controlled from the command cabin.

How this is done in the flagship of Rotary? With an heritage of palpable conquests, with directives and policies established by Boards and Councils of Legislation and put in practice by clubs and districts, by projects completed that satisfy local and regional needs, then the ship will be navigating safely and with no hesitation.

Our conquests will continue to be enormous, because this is the best rendering service ship that we know of. Our crew, always being renewed, needs constant empowerment and motivation, because new sailors will always be starting their participation in great crew.

Although there is a great contribution of the head office team, their practical value is not on the building itself, because Rotary is not measured by its fixed assets, but by the organizational help for the flagship to be well loaded, financed, supplied with information, make good contracts of service to be rendered and financially safe and sound.

The flagship of Rotary is a long range model. With faith in the future and the capacity of the crew, united through the same Object, we will leave an indelible heritage in human history, building better communities and bridging continents.

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