Each new Rotary year begins with a slogan from the incoming Rotary International President. In recent years we were challenged to "Make Dreams Come True," and reminded that "The Future of Rotary is in Our Hands," told that "Rotary Shares," asked to "Build Communities and Bridge Continents." New slogans - and new leadership - are good ways to refocus us on what we Rotarians do, which is to help our communities be better places to work and to play.

This year our incoming RI President, Kalyan Banerjeo, is challenging us to "Reach Within to Embrace Humanity." He quotes Gandhi who said: "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." President Kalyan wants us to reach within and unleash our inner power. We have that power within to make a difference in our local community and our world community. Each of us can be the change.

With that challenge, I am both honored and humbled to be the president of our Club. It is a privilege which I take seriously. Our Club is both Family and Community. Our diversity is our strength. When we reach from within, we can and do accomplish great things. We do so many things - and do them well - here in Wakefield. Just RECENTLY we were recognized on National Philanthropy Day as the "Outstanding Philanthropic Service Organization" in the state. So we have much of which to be proud.

We do have several opportunities facing us. We need to continue to grow our membership. We need more members like You and You and You. We need to continue to support the eradication of polio and help RI to help the world community by continuing to participate in the "Every Rotarian, Every Year" Program. Your dollars - large or modest -  really make a difference. We also need to support and grow our Wakefield Foundation so we can remain a strong financial contributor to our local community. We need to develop the Fifth Avenue of Service - New Generations - by working to bring Youth and Rotary closer together to insure Rotary's future.

Our Club of diverse individuals has demonstrated that we are able to harness our talents to raise funds for our community. We, as a team, cook and serve 500 breakfasts each May. In June we, as a team, sponsor the Narragansett Art Festival where 100 artists showcase their works by the Sea - and fund our scholarship program in the process. Every July we have our major fundraiser - the SC Hot Air Balloon Festival. What looks like URI athletic fields for 362 days a year are "magically" transformed, by many Rotarians, in about 6 hours, into this exciting, living, breathing, glamour-filled stage and midway where wonderful things happen. We have thousands of guests who, annually, come to visit our production and to support it - so we are able to raise thousands of dollars to help both our local and world communities be better places to live.

We truly do Reach Within to Embrace Humanity. We will never let that reach be a reach too far.\

 

Yours in Rotary,

Gene Corl

President 2011-2012