RIP 13/14 Ron Burton unveiled
the RI theme during the opening plenary session of the 2013
International Assembly in San Diego, California, USA, the annual
training event for incoming district governors. (RIP 13/14 Ron
Burton's speech, short version. The full 21 minute
presentation is below)
President-elect Ron D. Burton's entire theme speech to
2013-14 District Governors-elect at the Rotary International
Assembly. 21 minutes
“If we really want to take Rotary service forward, then we
must make sure that every single Rotarian has the same feeling
about Rotary that each one of us here has today,” Burton said.
“We need to make sure that every Rotarian has a meaningful role
to play, that they’re all making a contribution, and that their
contribution is valued.”
Burton said the July launch of
The Rotary Foundation’s new grant model, Future Vision, makes it
an exciting time to be a Rotarian. He said the new grant model,
which has been used by about 100 pilot districts since 2010,
represents a new era for the Foundation, and will help Rotarians
get excited about Rotary’s ability to change lives.
“It
takes everything that is wonderful about Rotary and raises it to
a new level — by encouraging bigger, more sustainable projects
while providing increased flexibility for local projects, both
of which address the needs of the community being served,” he
said.
Burton asked the incoming district governors to
take the lead in helping their clubs through the transition,
with the assistance of their district Rotary Foundation chairs,
who also attended the assembly this year. The training sessions
are focusing heavily on equipping these leaders to go back to
their districts as experts on the new grant model.
Before
the assembly, Burton asked each of the incoming governors to
make a donation in their name to The Rotary Foundation in order
to demonstrate leadership by example. At the assembly, he
announced that all 537 governors-elect had complied; along with
donations from all RI Board members and Foundation Trustees, the
contributions totaled US$675,412.
“Now, I have to believe
that some of this is money that The Rotary Foundation probably
would not have received had I not asked. And I think that this
is an important lesson” he said. “If you want somebody else to
do something, you can just sit around and wait for them to get
the idea, or you can ask.”
Burton applied that lesson
also to membership development, which he insisted is the
responsibility of every Rotarian. He told the audience that
although he had been an active member of the Key Club, a youth
program of Kiwanis International, he went on to join Rotary
simply because the Rotary Club of Norman, Oklahoma, invited him
to.
“You have to ask,” he said.
But Burton
emphasized that the job doesn’t end when a new member joins:
“It’s not done until that new member is engaged in Rotary,
inspired by Rotary, and uses the power of Rotary service to
change lives.”
Source: Rotary International
RI President-elect Ron Burton announced the 2013-14 RI
theme, Engage Rotary, Change Lives, during the International
Assembly in San Diego, California, USA.
