Looking back while looking forward….
Happy New Year Niles Rotary! By the time you are reading this, we will have kicked off 2021, and we are all hopeful that soon we will emerge from the pandemic that has sheltered us in place since March. I am optimistic that this new year will bring us back together meeting in person just as in the good ol days…and I am hopeful that I may actually get to preside over a live meeting or two. It is my hope that 2021 well see us all back together – yet, we will likely never be quite the same.
Speaking of those good ol’ days, I decided to kick off the year with a new opening to our meetertainment meetings. I wanted to pay tribute to Niles Rotarians through the years as a way of looking back, respecting those members who helped build our Rotary and those who have kept it Niles Strong through its 83 year history. I sincerely enjoyed reviewing the archives, downloading pictures of past and current Niles Rotarians, and them passing them on to the creative geniuses that make our meetings so enjoyable. Additionally, I asked past Rotary International President Richard King to kick off our first meeting of 2021 reflecting on Rotary’s past and where he feels its future will take us.
Speaking of the future, our membership committee has provided excellent feedback regarding proposed changes to membership requirements. President Elect Audrey and I have worked together closely with a shared vision regarding membership far beyond my time as President. It is with deep and abiding respect of our Niles Rotary past and a vision to the future that we contemplate the changes that need to be made to keep our club relevant into the future. As we move forward in our contemplations on membership, we want to consider each member and the time, treasure, and talent that each bring to our shared Rotary table. Additionally, we want to make sure that any changes are fair to all concern. The importance of such deliberation with the input from our Membership Development Committee has taken longer than I expected. Yet, any such changes need to be carefully thought out. Rest assured that once we arrive at a shared vision, we will bring it to the club for additional input.
Onward into 2021 we go…..and it is my sincere hope and prayer that we are all blessed with great health as we continue to virtually meet on zoom!
Keep on Blooming!
President Dirk
