When we boil it all down, members of Rotary are volunteers who generously and unstintingly give of their time and talents to support worthy causes that benefit the wider community.
Rotarians are people who are prepared to give of themselves without putting either a price tag or an emotional tag on their efforts, and in this day and age when the potage de jour is so often the bolstering of personal finances or ego or both, it’s refreshing to be associated with a group of people who are prepared to offer support and assistance to those in need, without any strings attached.
We can have a theory about helping others. We can have a clear, well-articulated idea about how the disadvantaged elements of our society could do with some help. But if all my good intentions stay preserved in aspic as good intentions and never see the light of day, and never get translated into what I actually do, then it’s all a bit of flannel.
This doesn’t mean that ideas and plans are unimportant. We need them. But they are the first, not the last step. They need to be manifested in outcomes otherwise all we’ve done is engage in a set of mental exercises. What matters is that we care about people and we help.
Rotary isn’t an idea. It’s not a philosophical society. It’s an activity. Our motto, our legend, our emblem, our ensign is ‘service above self’. It can also be usefully thought of as ‘service beyond self’ in that it is service beyond limit, beyond constraint, always for the others, no matter what. Rotary is a living out of this ideal, manifest in works of charity. And so we are immensely thankful for the work of all our members over many generations in this Rotary Club of Perth. Because of you, much has been achieved. And because of you, much will be achieved.
President John.