from The Rotary Club of Halifax North West
Welcome to the monthly newsletter from the Rotary Club of Halifax Northwest, where we share the club’s and Rotary’s news and activities with the communities we serve. This issue focuses on the Magic of Rotary.
Every July 1st, there is a “change of the watch” in Rotary, in which the Rotary International President, District Governors and Club Presidents change. Every new Rotary President coins a new theme, meant to reinvigorate Rotarians in their commitment to service in their communities.
Our new Rotary President for 2024-25, Stephanie Urchick, chose “The Magic of Rotary” as her rallying cry. In her announcement of the new theme, she called on members to recognize and amplify the organization’s power to save lives. Don’t misunderstand me – we are not going to end polio or bring peace to the world by waving a wand and saying some funny words,” Urchick told incoming district governors at the Rotary International Assembly on 8 January 2024. “It’s up to you. You create the magic with every project completed, every dollar donated, and every new member.”
Urchick said she saw the magic of Rotary on display when she was helping install water filters in the Dominican Republic. Two boys were watching as dirty water entered the filter, then ran out clean at the other end. “One of the boys grabbed my sleeve and said, ‘Show me the magic again,’” she said. “Obviously, the water filter wasn’t magic. We worked hard to transport those filters, install them, and work with community leaders in the area to maintain them. But those boys knew that easy access to clean water would change their lives. Knowing that I played a small part in that certainly changed my life.”
It’s that simple. We call it Service Above Self.
There are over 46,000 Rotary clubs worldwide, with a membership of 1.4 million individuals. Multiply the magic of clean water in a community in the Dominican Republic by tens of thousands, and you begin to appreciate the magic that Rotary performs, one project at a time.
Our small club is but a thread in the fabric of Rotary’s global impact. We give of our time and our efforts to better our communities. As a case in point, members of our club canvassed local businesses in the Spryfield area for donations to a “Basket of Goodies” that we raffled off during Spryfield Festival Days in July. The response from the vendors was very generous. The value of the basket was over $2000! A very happy Spryfield family won the basket, and our club turned over the proceeds of the raffle to the Urban Farm Museum in Spryfield!
Magic!
Have we piqued your desire to serve? For more information contact Roger Chiasson at rogerchiasson305@gmail.com or 782 234 9408.
