Why I Am A Rotarian
NOVEMBER 21, 2006
 My
observation is that membership growth is easy. The difficultly
is retaining members. I decided to list some of the reasons
that I have stayed in Rotary for 18 years.
Here is my short list.
Fellowship was my
original motivation. I wanted to belong to something and
associate with people other than just those in my church and
professional associations. This is still a big deal for me.
Without Rotary, I could
not ever get to meet, and in many cases become friends with,
this many quality people.
I like being involved in
service programs. Alone, I could never have the kind of impact
that we have as a “body of Rotarians”.
I find a quiet
satisfaction in lighting up someone else’s life, in being part
of building a park, funding a medical clinic, providing clean
bedding for orphans in an orphanage in Mexico, or helping
reforest thousands of acres with trees.
It is a rush to attend
the District Conference and Rotary International’s Convention.
I know Rotarians all over the world.
By volunteering and
staying involved I keep up my interest in Rotary and in life.
Rotary volunteer
opportunities have helped me grow in personal skills such as
public speaking; and leadership.
Rotary gives me a sense
of purpose and greater meaning to my life.
Some fail to understand my last
statement. A man named Ernst Becker wrote a book back in the
70’s. His thoughts parallel my thoughts on part of what Rotary
gives back to me. To paraphrase him: Men and Women want to
know that their life has somehow counted, if not for themselves,
then at least in a larger scheme of things, that their life has
left a trace; a trace that has meaning. And in order for
anything once alive to have meaning, its effects must remain
alive in eternity in some way.
Rotary is one of my vehicles for
me to “leave a trace”.
My life will “somehow have
counted” and will continue to count for generations to come
through Rotary. I like that, it has an appealing ring.
George M. Yeiter
Past District Governor 2003-04
District 5890
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