Poem from Florida District 6970

January is Rotary Awareness Month
What is Rotary? You’ve been asked this question before, but did you have a good response? Because January is Rotary Awareness Month, thinking about this simple question is a good first step toward sharing Rotary with your community. Even though there are over 33,000 Rotary Clubs in the world, many people still don’t know what Rotary stands for. “What does a Rotary Club Do?” Someone asked that question once, and I stood there feeling like a dunce! What do Rotarians do?

I hemmed and hawed a time or two, then said, “We gather for a meal and asked each other how we feel. We get our food and have some fun, chattering till the meal is done. We get club business out of the way and have the program of the day. Some are good..and some are great! And…some run on ‘til fairly late’”. But then my friend he turned to go, “That wasn’t he said, “What I want to know.” I’ve thought a lot about it since…what could I possible say to convince my friend that Rotary does more that meet…greet…take a seat…then eat? Here is my amend in explaining Rotary to friends:

Two billion children are healthy today,
in lands both near and far away.
Who otherwise might be lame … or dead,
from polio .. that childhood dread!
And hungry children are being fed,
through better ways to grow their bread.

Rotarians in many lands are teaching,
and doctors of all kinds are reaching
out to heal the sick and lame,
with little thought of wealth or fame.
And men and women are meeting the need,
to teach little children how to read.
Youth come here from every land,
in answer to our outstretched hand,
to learn to know us and know our ways,
bringing peace and friendship to all our days.

And clubs are formed in every nation,
for fellowship and conversation.
For education, information and practicing the cultivation
of Peace on Earth and goodwill to all,
And a speedy end to every wall
which separates the folk of the earth
ad keeps us from seeing each other’s worth.

A hundred things there are to say
about what Rotarians do each day.
In every land and every town,
to life someone when they are down,
And help each other along the way --
“Service Above Self” – what more can I say?
Well if my friend should ask again,
I’ll have another answer for him then!