Two Questions
By Frank Deaver
Rotary Club of Tuscaloosa, Alabama USA
 

     Putting aside for the moment all the detail of Rotary Service, much of it minor, even trivial, only two questions are of critical importance:

                    "Where am I?"
                    "What time is it?"

     The short answers are "HERE" and "NOW."

     For Rotarians, "HERE" is where you are.  For Rotarians "HERE" is almost everywhere.  With more than 32,000 Rotary Clubs in nearly 200 countries, and with more than 1.2 million Rotarians in all those clubs and countries, Rotary is indeed scattered all over the face of the globe.  The sun never sets on Rotarians, nor on a Rotary meeting, nor on a Rotary project.

     When a government or Non-Government Organization (NGO) responds to a natural disaster, it must inevitably gather its equipment and materials, and travel a considerable distance to be on-site.   But wherever there is a need or a service opportunity, Rotarians are not far away, and often are among the first to offer assistance.

     It may be a catastrophic event – hurricane, earthquake, flood, or tsunami.  It may simply be an ongoing local opportunity – a literacy program, health care, equipping a playground, or mentoring school children.   Rotarians have the ability to be among the first to arrive, and when distant service entities have packed up and left, Rotarians are still there.

     For Rotarians “NOW” is always "now," a constant, a moment in time.  An oft-repeated quotation asserts that "The past is history; the future is uncertain; the present is the only thing we have."  During this month of August, 2008, the short form of expressing one of its days is 08/08/08.  That exact combination only appears once each century.  Rotarians and Rotary Clubs must seize the "now," for it may not present itself again for a long time, perhaps never.

     Although the opportunity for Rotary service is ever-present, we sometimes fail to recognize a need if it is not a sudden disaster.  Within the shadow of any Rotary Club there are certain to be homeless people in need of shelter, hungry people in need of food, bright young people in need of aid to continue their education.

     Past RI President Bob Barth said being a Rotarian means: "You can rely on me.  I am dependable.  I am available.  I give more than I take.  I add value.  I serve."  Implicit in his eloquent assertion is that Rotarians must take advantage of service opportunities where they are, and without delay.

     "Where am I?" "What time is it?"  I am HERE.  The time is NOW.