Rotary International emblem


Lexington Rotary Club

      service above self

 Rotary Theme emblem

Jerry Plante is inaugurated as 2009-10 President

Discussion of 2009-2010 Goals and Objectives

Each member joins Rotary for different reasons, some to socialize and to meet other people, others to contribute to the local community or assist in aiding less fortunate people around the world. Before I discuss my goals and objectives for Rotary Year 2009-2010, I would like to have each of you members think about why you joined Rotary and what you think Rotary is today. I won't take the time to provide a definition of Rotary and its objectives, but if you are interested, it is in the RI Manual of Procedures, that both John Tucker and I have, or that you can get on the RI website.

In the Rotary Manual of Procedures:

Rotary is:
An organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help build goodwill and peace in the world.
The Object of Rotary is to:
Encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:
  • FIRST: The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;
  • SECOND: High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations, and the dignifying of each Rotarian's occupation as an opportunity to serve society;
  • THIRD: The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, business, and community life; and
  • FOURTH: The advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.

Whatever our reason for joining Rotary, none of us has an overabundance of spare time, so we have to pick and choose the activities we can best support, suited to both our talents and our time available. As I discuss the various projects, please pick at least one that you think you will enjoy working on and volunteer to the chairperson to assist in the planning and organization of that project. Or, if there is no chairperson yet identified, such as with the Annual Bazaar in January, volunteer for that position to me or a Board member, or accept the assignment if asked. All projects will need assistance in execution from a majority of the membership. Please devote at least a tiny bit of your time to most, if not all projects to sell tickets, help out at the event, or whatever else your time will permit. Please don't say you didn't participate in a project because you weren't asked. I'm asking you now, to participate in at least one project committee, and in some small way help in most, if not all of the other projects. This will assure the success of the projects we undertake.

With these thoughts in mind, I will present the goals and objectives I would like to see achieved this year for the Lexington Rotary Club. I hope that they coincide with and help you to achieve your own personal goals and objectives for being a Rotarian.

First, I would like to remind you of RI President John Kenny's theme for this year:

       "The future of Rotary is in your hands"

Next, the Directors of the Four Avenues of Rotary Service for the Lexington Rotary Club are:

Goals for this year

The new President of Rotary International, John Kenny, has stated that the most important organizations in Rotary International are the local Rotary clubs. Each has its own individual characteristics and personalities, formed by the personalities and characteristics of the local members. Please remember that the Lexington Rotary Club is not my cub, but our club. I can provide focus, direction, administration, planning, and leadership, but I need help from each and every one of you for operation and execution of the stated goals and objectives.

In closing, I would like to say: Do whatever little bit you can to advance the mission of Rotary, but please do help the Lexington Rotary club in some small way. If possible, try to do a little bit more this year than you did last year, but most of all, have fun doing it.

Copies of this discussion, the details of the club 2009-2010 Goals and Objectives, a list of the Officers, Directors, and Committee Chairs, and a club schedule for the year can be found on our web site. I hope you will all take advantage of our excellent website that Jim Slack has developed and so diligently maintained. It has lots of good information regarding our club, including membership and copies of the weekly bulletin.

Finally, I have a few copies of our budget for the year for those who are interested.

Are there any questions?

Again, I hope each of you will contribute your talents and some of your time this year on at least one of our projects. In this way, each of us will obtain our own goals and objectives for being a Rotarian and the Lexington Rotary Club will have achieved its goals and objectives for 2009-2010.

Thank you all for being here tonight and for all you have done for Rotary.

July 6, 2009