Paul Harris, the founding father was a great visionary but we in Ohio had few as well. To name few, Arch Klumph of Cleveland could vision Rotary’s “Foundation of Hope”, Hope for the present as well as for the future. Daddy Allen from Elyria spearheaded “Society for Crippled Children” which became Easter Seal.
Canfield Rotarians served polio children with wheel chairs
Youngstown Rotarians and their spouses arranged Christmas parties for crippled children
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Rotary member of Wooster club had polio, the clubs used to meet on the second floor, with no elevator. The club members would help him get off the wheel chair and carried him upstairs to the meeting week after week.
Amazing Commitment and on part of Rotarians as well as the member with polio. This handicap Rotarian contributed a lot to the club even if he was in the wheelchair.
That is the spirit of Rotary and its commitment to the communities.
At present our clubs are doing interesting projects in their communities, which is great though we need to have signature projects, involve more members taking part, become more visible in the community, which will serve as PR, as stimulus for increase membership, increase contribution to the Rotary Foundation that would help serve the world today and for years to come.
To view previous District Grant pictures click on this LINK.
Since the centennial year (2004-05) the district could use 20% of our DDF for local grants and then that percentage increased to 50% when they become District Grants, so that we could do many local projects but of a smaller scale as these funds do not get matched from the world fund. And unless individual club puts in its own money, community projects of a large scale are not being done.
In recent years the Rotary’s focus is increased on Membership and Foundation contributions, and not necessarily on Community Service. It is not a surprise that Rotary world in the western hemisphere is losing membership at an alarming pace. That means our capacity to serve our communities is reduced. And in turn there is a little purpose for any young professional to join the Rotary club in his/her community.
If people do not see the impact of Rotary on a daily basis on peoples’ lives in their communities, young people and the professionals have no incentive to join the club. We are observing that more Rotary members are leaving the club than those who join.
The obvious solution is:
1. Assess and evaluate the needs in the communities: we have opioid crisis, our children are hungry, our veterans are homeless, our seniors are lonely, our workforce is not up to the par! We have tremendous needs.
2. We can design signature program in our communities.
3. We can join hands with other service organizations and NGOs in our communities.
4. We can work with the children in our schools.
5. We can mentor the students as professionals.
6. We can look into the needs of our senior citizens, many of whom are lonely and depressed.
If we do all that and become visible in showing what we do, the membership growth will be exemplary.
Let us put on a paper in black and white the needs in our communities
Let us design a large visible project where Rotarians and the partners can come together and serve.
If our clubs do not have community service chair, let us create one.
International service is not very different from community service. We are just extending our helping hand to the Rotarians outside our boundaries, where they have needs but not enough resources in their communities and their clubs. With the same token invite partners from other districts and other parts of the world to join hands while serving our communities.
The Rise and Fall of club numbers in District 6650
Looking at the map one can draw following conclusions:
1. The first club of Youngstown was formed in 1915, soon followed by R.C. of Canton within few months. Four more clubs were formed between 1917 and 19. In next decade one sees steep rise and our district added 17 more clubs, till 1929.
2. Great depression hit USA in 1929 and lasted for 10 years. One notices that no club was formed till 1938, almost towards the end of depression, and that was Malvern club. It is important to notice that we did not lose any of the 23 clubs we had chartered continue to do the work. They accepted the challenge to serve the communities devastated by the effects of great depression. They tried to feed the hungry, provide shelter to the homeless, comfort those who had lost every thing. Rotary clubs had the purpose being there.
Serving the community kept the clubs alive. All 23 clubs survived and served! The Crown Jewel of Rotary, the community service, again proved to be a thriving influence for the Rotary clubs.