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www.whyiam.org …a
service of
RGHF
Rotary Global History
"We live in the present, we dream of the future,
but we learn from the past."
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 My name is Susan Wierzba and I am Vice
President of Lubbock Metropolitan Rotary Club. I thought I would
take a few minutes to share with you Why I am a Rotarian...
I remember sitting in my brother Peter's office,
three years ago. I was holding a rejection letter in my hand
from the Peace Corps medical staff. I was rejected because
two years prior I had been bitten by a brown recluse spider and
I almost lost my arm. They told me that if I ever required
medical attention it would not be available in any of the
places that I would be sent to. There is nothing worse than
being rejected by an organization that you were willing to
volunteer for. I was absolutely devastated.
My brother knew I
had a servants heart. So, he asked me to go with him to have
breakfast at a club that was known for their volunteer
efforts. It was a Rotary Club. That is when I met my new
family, Lubbock Metro Rotary. They welcomed me with open arms
and never looked beyond my heart. Both my brother and my
Rotary Club brought new life back to me and gave me purpose
again. But what it did more than all of that. It gave me
HOPE, hope in a new tomorrow and I haven't stopped since.
Rotary is a place where you meet new people and make new
friends, you work with them, laugh with them and cry with
them. You work on many projects that make a difference in so
many lives.
I like being part of an organization that focuses
on helping humanity and fostering peace here in our own
communities and all over the world. I see Rotary as an
opportunity for me to help others, and also do something good
for the generations to come. Locally, it gives me the
opportunity provide a meal to someone who is hungry, a
learning center to teach children in a different way, to help
a child read or to give that child the first book to call their
very own. Rotary is an awesome organization and I am proud to
be a Rotarian. I have learned respect for the individual and
to care for the well-being of others. I have learned not only
the value of tolerance, but to celebrate diversity. I have
learned to listen to others, to value their opinions, and to
work together in cooperation towards a common goal. Rotary
has taught me that every person, regardless of their situation
or circumstances, has something to offer to humanity.
I
believe that every individual here has the capacity for
caring and the capacity for working in solidarity to
alleviate human suffering and contribute to human dignity. This
is what defines US, and this is what makes US Rotarians. I
believe it is OUR responsibility as Rotarians to help others
less fortunate than ourselves. We all know that we can make a
difference. Rotary is on the brink of eradicating polio from
the face of the Earth.
How close are we? We are THAT
close and it will happen in my lifetime. By creating a sense of
cohesion and solidarity within society, Rotary can help
communities build social capital all over the world. It converts
one persons ideas into a collective action and then that action
is directed towards a social cause, whether it be eradicating
Polio or building water wells in Africa... It allows for social
mobilization and organization within the community during
disasters. It also offers a means for people to show that they
are valued and reaffirms everyone has an important place in
society. It can build a sense of self-worth, and a true feeling
of pride. It shows us everyday that we can all contribute to
create a better world. Rotary has changed my life. It has
offered me the ability to give, care and share which is now our
District's mantra...it gives me the ability to give of my time,
care about my fellowman and share the spirit of Rotary with
everyone I meet , wherever I go. Why I am a Rotarian... |
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| Susan Wierzba is a member of RC of
Lubbock Metropolitan, D 5730, Zone 27 and a member of RGHF |
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