Rotary International was founded in 1905.  What began as four men meeting in local Chicago businesses has now grown to 1.2 million Rotarians belonging to over 34,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.

Metro Rotary will celebrate its 20^th birthday next month!  Since our club’s founding in 1993, we have seen many professionals come and go, but our core mission has remained true.  As a result, we have been able to assist many people, both locally and on an international level.  Five of our charter members remain active today!  A special thank you to Win Burggraaff, John John, Ginny Northcutt, Audrey Spieler and Jim Stock.  Your devotion of time and talents has played a key role in our club’s growth, and we appreciate each of you.

As a reminder, we only have two months left in this Rotary year.  I encourage you to remain involved in our club’s activities, and plan ahead to be even more active in the year to come.  Help make Metro Rotary History!

President Marcia

Last month, we celebrated literacy.  This month, we put our reading skills to the test.  Everything in our lives depends on consistent, accurate and constant communication.  We receive Rotary communications regularly; through our weekly meetings, club emails, club website, district website and Rotary International.

As part of your membership in our club, you receive the monthly magazine, The Rotarian.  This publication offers many insightful stories about Rotary projects and clubs throughout the world.  Over 1.2 million Rotarians are reading the same magazine in 23 languages.

Please take the time each month to read through your issue.  I’m confident you will be impressed with the many activities our fellow Rotarians are involved in, as well as how we are able to assist people who do not have the same resources we have available.  If we want to promote Rotary to others, we need to be well informed!

Thanks again for all you do to make Metro Rotary such a success!

President Marcia

Metro Rotarians have played a large role in assisting charities both locally and on a much broader level. While it is easy to look at the big picture, it is always helpful to stop and look at the most basic human needs and explore how we can assist our fellow men and women.

In April, 2003, Metro Rotary stepped up its commitment to literacy by becoming Partners in Education with the Columbia Public Schools’ Title I Program. On a regular basis, we have members who volunteer their time to go into local schools and read to children or have the children read to them. This goes a long way in assisting the children and teachers with improving the students’ abilities to read and comprehend. While this may seem a basic process, we must remember that “Being literate does not just mean the ability to read a book or a newspaper. Being literate means being able to comprehend the instructions on a medicine bottle, a set of directions or a job posting.” (Excerpt from G.E. Estess, Sr., Foundation Trustee Chair, March, 2010 message on literacy)

I urge everyone to strongly consider volunteering to read a book to a child this month even if you cannot work this into your regular routine. I guarantee you will find the experience very rewarding. Please contact Les Gelband or Shane Winter for more information.

Thanks again for all you do to make Metro Rotary such a success!

President Marcia

Did you know the first Rotary meeting occurred on February 23, 1905? Since that day, Rotary has grown into an international organization helping to launch, complete and sustain numerous service projects worldwide. Rotarians promote and enjoy international friendships which help to broaden our commitment to helping others, no matter where they may be. While some projects and services have an immediate impact, all are excellent foundations for the future and continue to build peace and goodwill.

As Metro Rotarians, I encourage you to think back during this month about all the things we do, and have done, that have an impact worldwide. Our continued support of the Youth Study Exchange Program and the Group Student Exchange Program are both excellent examples of how we reach out globally. I am confident that we have learned as much from the individuals we have sponsored as they have learned from us. Another good example is the number of water projects that we have assisted with financially. A special thank you to everyone who has assisted with securing and completing the paperwork and grant applications that have resulted in cleaner water to many people overseas.

This year is flying by, and I can’t believe how much we have done! Thanks for all you do to make Metro Rotary such a success!

President Marcia

Happy New Year! As we enter the second half of this Rotary year, I know everyone is still excited from all the wonders that the annual holiday season brings. It’s a time for reflection of the year past, but also a time to look forward at what is to come.

As we begin 2013, I encourage you to reflect on Rotary. Hopefully, you are aware of what a fantastic organization you are a part of and what Rotary means locally and internationally.

As a refresher, I offer the following:  in February, Rotary will celebrate its 108th birthday; there are over 1.2 million Rotarians worldwide; there are over 34,000 Rotary clubs in 200 countries; Rotary has helped all but eradicate polio; the Group Study Exchange program has helped more than 70,000 young professionals from 106 countries explore their career fields; and the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholars program has helped more than 41,000 students from 130 countries study abroad.  Rotarians make a difference!

Thanks again for the role each of you play to make Metro Rotary such a wonderful organization. I look forward to the next six months!

President Marcia

We all have many things to be thankful for, and families are a large part of all our lives. As Rotarians, we are fortunate to have an extended Family of Rotary.  We appreciate and are very familiar with our fellow Rotarians that we see weekly, but we also have Rotary family members in other clubs, other districts, in other states and other countries!

This is a wonderful time of year, and an excellent time to reflect and give thanks for all our blessings.  Your efforts to further our club’s charitable causes are most appreciated, and they have an impact, direct and non-direct, on many individuals.  Our continual devotion of time, talents and financial resources is a strong, positive reflection of our club members.  I am grateful for everyone who continues to place Service Above Self!

Thanks for all you do on behalf of Metro!  Have a wonderful holiday season, and best wishes for a safe and healthy 2013!

President Marcia

November is a time when we pause and reflect on the many things for which we are thankful.  There are a lot of positive people, organizations, etc. who help to make our world a much better place.

As a Rotarian, we all know there are many good things that occur because of The Rotary Foundation. Because of our financial support, The Rotary Foundation helps fight hunger needs, works to reduce child mortality, promotes peace and conflict resolution, provides basic education and literacy support and helps eradicate polio!

By giving only $100 each year through the Every Rotarian, Every Year (EREY) initiative, you become a Rotary Foundation Sustaining Member. Contributions to EREY are the primary source of funding for Foundation programs. You can direct your contributions to the Annual Fund, the PolioPlus Fund, the Permanent Fund, Rotary Peace Centers or specific Foundation Grants. To make your donation, simply complete this form.

It is because of these valuable causes, plus many others, that we must continue our support of The Rotary Foundation. I encourage each of you to learn more about the Rotary Foundation and make a contribution to continue saving and changing lives. These programs work, and they are a great investment for a better and safer world.

President Marcia

It’s hard to believe that a quarter of our year has already passed. As we enter a new month, please remember that October is Rotary Vocational Service Month.

This month focuses on:

-  Adherence to and promotion of the highest ethical standards in all occupations, including fair treatment of employers, employees, associates, competitors, and the public.

-  The recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations, not just those that are pursued by Rotarians.

-  The contribution of your vocational talents to solving the problems of society and meeting the needs of the community.

During this month, I encourage all Metro Rotarians to focus on this important avenue of Rotary service. Think about how what you do, and what we do as a group, helps others within our community. We have a number of tremendously talented individuals within our membership, and we need to constantly be thinking about how we can best use our time and talents.

Have a great month!

President Marcia

Did you know that September is New Generations Month for Rotarians? It’s called that because we know that investing in our young people is the same as investing in our future. Worldwide, Rotarians take pride in the fact that they have youth programs available for many to explore and enjoy.

Locally, we invest in several ways: 1) The newest addition to our Rotary family is the Interact Club which was established earlier this year for high school students. 2) Metro has been very supportive of the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA) each year, and we are proud to sponsor local students at this week-long camp. 3) The Rotaract club is relatively new, and it has provided an excellent opportunity for young men and women to learn and grow in service.  4) The Youth Exchange Program has been a very popular part of our annual club planning, and it exposes international students (and our members) to new languages, new traditions and new thoughts.

I encourage you to meet our exchange student from Turkey, Dilara Saglam. She is anxious to learn about us and our community, whether at work or play. I hope everyone takes advantage of the opportunity to invite her to an activity this year.

Thanks again to each of you for your dedication to Metro Rotary!

President Marcia

As you all know, next summer Metro Rotary will celebrate its 20th anniversary of the club charter. During this time, we have been fortunate to have numerous professionals from the Columbia community as members of our club. However, membership development is a constant and ongoing process.

This year, I encourage you to follow closely the work of our Membership Committee. Chairman John Stringer welcomes your assistance in recruiting and receiving new members into our club. As the opportunity presents itself, please feel free to bring your colleagues or other business professionals to one of our luncheons. We are always interested in sharing the Metro success story, and we are happy to share all the good work that Rotary clubs do.

To increase our membership, I think it is important to share specific events in our history that has special meaning for you. We need to share the benefits of our club, and Rotary overall, in order to create a complete understanding of the value we provide. There are a lot of quality individuals in our community who I believe would be interested in putting Service Above Self!

I appreciate everyone’s efforts to make our club stronger and more vibrant throughout the year.

President Marcia