Article

Personal Interest

2005 - Where Tomorrow?

by Wolfgang Dr. Ziegler
Sunday, November 27, 2005. 03:16AM
1,012 Views 3 Comments

2005 - Where Tomorrow?

There are many Rotarians today who are deeply concerned about the future. They feel that we are in the midst of a crisis when we must soon decide whether we shall again emphasize the importance of individual action, or see Rotary largely expressed through corporate action. They insist that Rotary as an organization must "do something."

Those who make these demands fail to realize that Rotary's position and influence in the world will never be more than the reflection of the individual Rotarian. The individual's application of Rotary's ideals is, it seems to me, more important than corporate activities at the Club or top level.

We don't have to sponsor something to make Rotary a living force. We can individually make it so. There is truth in the statement that "Through the power of the individual a new age will stir and be formed. No new age has been formed in any other way."

Give the world something with character and it will carry your name to the sunset

The great opportunity facing the more than 1,2 million Rotarians today is to expand the area of decency and understanding in all the relationships of life among all the peoples of the world. This is enough to command our best thinking and acting.

What we do as individuals in giving life and meaning to Rotary is the only worthy measuring rod by which we should want the world to judge us.

Madge Jenison* once said, "Give the world something with character and it will carry your name to the sunset." If we, as Rotarians, live up in full measure to the opportunities and responsibilities of Rotary membership, we can truly hope that the world will carry the name of Rotary to the sunset. The road will be easier and the pace quicker if we learn from the lessons of the past 100 years.

* Madge Jenison (1874 – 1960) was an American author who wrote novels, short stories and scripts.

IN CASE you think I finally thought for myself, you are mistaken. The above text is the final paragraph from the article "Seven Milestones in Rotary History" written by Ralph S. Dunne (RC Bala Cynwyd-Narbeht, Governor of Disrict 179 in 1945-46) in "The Rotarian", February 1949, except it read "1949 - Where Tomorrow?", there were 320,000 Rotarians worldwide, and of course only 44 years of Rotary history. The whole article can soon be read under www.rotaryfirst100.org ,see "What's New".

"WE LIVE IN THE PRESENT, WE DREAM OF THE FUTURE, BUT WE LEARN FROM THE PAST".* *Soong Mei-ling (1897–2003), born in China and educated in the United States. She married Chiang Kai-shek in 1927. In 1943, she spoke before the United States congress. She is considered one of the most politically important women in history.

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Comments

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Sunday, December 11, 2005. 10:34AM by Jack Selway
A fellow Digarian, and my close friend and Rotary historian Dr. Wolfgang Ziegler is Ill. He suffered a heart attack. His wife told me that he is expected to recover. The website - What Paul Harris Wrote - represents years of work by Dr. Wolfgang Ziegler, of Rotary Club of Ammersee, Germany. Please keep him in your thoughts while he recovers from a heart attack. He was hospitalized Saturday, 10 December.
Monday, November 28, 2005. 08:25PM by Jack Selway
Good that you've added this to Digaria. For those wishing to see the huge contributions to Rotary's history, visit www.rotaryfirst100.org then click on "Our Committee" and see the tremendous contribution of Dr. Ziegler.
Sunday, November 27, 2005. 09:46AM by Geof Lambert
Great point! As somebody who tends to live in the future though, I would argue that to not apply the opportunities that Rotary has organizationally would be a disservice to the world. As you have observed there will be a "sunset" for Rotary someday, and someday it will come to an end. For heaven sakes even the great dinosaurs could not out run the concept of "time". While it is alive, I would suggest that it is right for Rotary to want to tackle things like Polio with the Polio Plus program, to want to create peace by setting up the Rotary Centers for International Studies in Peace and Conflict Resolution, etc., and at the club level to want to assist in the health, education and welfare of our youth and disadvantaged. There is power and activity that comes from numbers and organization. Just ask the folks at Wal*Mart, Ikea, BMW, etc. Often the sum of 1 + 1 Rotarians adds up to more than 2. Look at the Rotaplast organization. Donating $1 to that organization typically yields $7 of goods and medical services getting delivered to the cause. Yes, promoting and applying personal ethics and character in the individual is a lofty goal, but that should not preclude us from trying to achieve others should it?