Create Awareness – Take Action
My Dear Rotarians and friends, in particular my Action Presidents,
Well, it is now official. RI President-elect Frank J. Devlyn has announced today (4 February 2000) at the International Assembly his theme for 2000-2001, which is, as I intimated in my last letter, CREATE AWARENESS – TAKE ACTION.
Frank Devlyn disclosed his theme towards the end of his highly charged, emotional and motivation speech entitled “What’s Our Mission in the 21st Century” at the First Plenary Session of the RI 2000 International Assembly held in Anaheim, California, USA on Friday, 4 February 2000, to a full house of Governors-elect and their spouses. Immediately afterwards, he sent a message to Rotarians worldwide on the Internet through his WebPages – http://www.frank.devlyn.org – complete with his theme and logo in colour. His message reads as follows-
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In Your Club . . . In Your Community . . . In Our World
Dear Fellow Rotarians:
As your president for the year 2000-01 when we are entering a new century and a new millennium, I am keenly aware that our clubs, our communities, and our world have an array of problems that are not being adequately addressed. As Rotarians, we can choose to overlook or ignore these problems or we can do something about them. I hope that as we enter the 21st century and as we approach Rotary’s 100th anniversary, we make it our first priority to do something.
As Rotarians, we have the potential to strengthen our clubs, and we have the credibility to generate public support and implement solutions to problems in more than 29,500 communities in the world. We also have the extensive international network to expand our humanitarian actions to all parts of the globe.
As we work together in 2000-01, let us never forget that our mission is to CREATE AWARENESS and TAKE ACTION in our clubs, our communities, and throughout the world.
Frank Devlyn, RI President, 2000-01
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Most Rotarians who heard the presentation said that it was a good theme because it is simple, direct and focused. The message is clear. Create awareness in the community and amongst Rotarians of the concerns facing us and take action to address these concerns in partnership with the stakeholders. Likewise, the logo is distinct and simple and features an elliptical eye with the Rotary wheel inside the pupil.
Towards the end of his speech, and against soft background music from the Man of La Mancha, Frank Devlyn showed a slide of Don Quixote and urged Rotarians to pursue our Rotary dreams with similar vigour, but with the difference that our goals are clear and focused. He ended his speech as the signature tune grew more distinct and loud and he noticeably excited, to a standing ovation and long applause from the audience. It was a very impressive performance, by any standard.
That was the first session, and ten more to go, plus ver 20 discussion sessions. I need to take some rest for tomorrow. I wish you all a very good start in the Year of the Dragon and a continuing prosperous and healthy year ahead.
Talk to you soon.
John Wan, from Anaheim.
