April, 2006 My Fellow Rotarians - Rotary's Global History Fellowship

District 6440 Histories 2005
80+ year old team members high-fiving each other at the go-cart races, Gates and Giay together on stage
at the district conference – cooperation between the world’s two most respected foundations, Deborah’s
tears as she listened to the Rotarians share their World War II experiences, my sharing a quiet moment
with Frank after Rabbi Brief’s Interfaith service...it has indeed been a year of ideas, action, excitement,
and emotions.
As we reflect on our year’s journey, there is a tendency to quantify results. What is our membership?
How much money did we raise? But our real success is not measured in membership or dollars. Our
real success is measured by the lives we impacted, destinies changed, the families with renewed hope
because we Rotarians cared and did something about it using our respective volunteer time, treasures
and talents. Collectively, I conservatively estimate we impacted over 200,000 people in the Chicago
area and throughout the world. Over 200,000 are better because Rotarians within District 6440 did
something, because we not only could but did make a difference. That is our legacy. Words fail to
adequately describe the pride I feel for our collective accomplishments. Wow!
My final DG thoughts for this Rotary year? “What is Rotary?” “Rotary is whatever you want it to be.”
We showed Rotary can be synonymous with “action,” “fun,” and “making a difference.” Soon Mike
will be in the driver’s seat and I’ll return to the back of the station wagon…..anxiously waiting to
experience next year’s adventures. Thanks again for a terrific year. See you soon!
2007-08 – Michael Ericksen, District Governor –
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