On November 15, 2017 the Rotary Club's special Program Meeting featured our new District Governor, Dave Mangs. He spoke about why he was passionate about Rotary and how important it is to retain membership and what it means to be a Rotarian. He answered some tough questions about the marketing of Rotary and admitted that social media is a new phase of advertising, and the marketing of what we do needs to be promoted on all levels. He presented us with the motto and flag for this year - Rotary: Making a difference.
We also had Jeff Doyle attend his first meeting as a new member. Jeff is a contractor and owner of his own business, Doyle Enterprises. Jeff has generously offered to promote our club at a project in Ashford that he has volunteered for, and we are going to get a sign up at the site promoting the club. Welcome Jeff!
Speech by District Governor, Dave Mangs
The Power of One: If Not Me, Then Who? If Not Now, Then When?
"As I travel around the Rotary world and visit our Rotary clubs, I have had to conclude that a Rotarian is a very special individual, and when Rotarians combine to form a club, they magnify their power to make a difference in their community and in the "Global Village." A Rotarian is pulled by vision and passion and finds in Rotary a fellowship of men and women who encourage and support that journey to a better world. In our precious fellowship, Rotarians also grow as human beings with leadership skills, integrity, confidence, optimism, perserverance and humility. Whether in our youth programs or as adult Rotarians, we have discovered that maturity happens when one realizes it is time to "pay back." It is in service to others that we find true happiness and meaning in our lives. Rotarians give of themselves and strive to make everybody feel like a somebody. Yes, as givers we receive more than those we serve. As Mark Twain said, "The best way to cheer yourself up is to cheer somebody else up."
Optimism is a hallmark of Rotarians because we believe we can change the world for the better, and we do. Pessimists are filled with doubt, they are constantly looking for reasons why dreams and goals can not be realized, and they will never find new horizons or undiscovered lands of opportunity. In Rotary, we know that creativity is intelligence having fun as we work with the people and tools at hand, and as we create partnerships, knowing that missing pieces of the puzzle will be found as we continue on our journey.
I am reminded of the outer edge of the Rotary wheel, with its peaks and valleys. The peaks are when we achieve success by recruiting and engaging a new member, establishing a new Interact or Rotaract club, or completing a service project, fundraiser or social event. The valleys are the loss of a Rotarian, an incomplete service project or a Rotary club that "ages out" and goes out of existence for a lack of new members.
The Rotary wheel keeps turning in spite of the obstacles, the doubters, our mistakes or shortcomings. Our success does not come because we are "occasionally" engaged as Rotarians. It comes from our perserverance and our consistent actions on behalf of the people and the causes to which we are passionately committed. It is not that Rotarians never fail. What distinguishes us is our ability to keep rising every time we fall, to be true to our values when we are being tested, and to demonstrate our integrity by having the courage to do what is right in spite of the challenges.
Each Rotarian and each Rotary Club has the "Power of One." You are the "Hubbard's Key" that makes our Rotary wheel turn! You are truly making a difference. We must ask ourselves every day: "If not me, then who? If not now, then when?"
District Governor, 2017-2018-Rotary District 7890
Member of the West Hartford, CT Rotary Club since 1993