Trustee Chair Message

September 2009

A strong Foundation to conquer need

Mother Teresa, a longtime friend to Rotary, was once asked why she did the work she did. There would always be so many she could not reach. Why did she pour herself so fully into her self-appointed task, knowing that she could never come close to meeting all the needs?
Her answer was simple. She said, “I do what I can, where I am, with what I have.”

In Rotary, we strive to do the same. We know very well that the world’s needs are endless, and that we can never attempt to meet them all. Two billion people live in poverty. One billion people live without access to clean water, and 2.6 billion without adequate sanitation. Every day, 26,000 children die needlessly.

What can Rotary hope to do in the face of such overwhelming need?

To this I answer, we must do what we can, where we are, with what we have. We must make the best possible use of our resources, where they can do the most good. We must identify the needs that we can realistically meet, and invest the care and planning to make sure that our service is successful. And we must steward our Rotary Foundation well, so that we will be able to help the greatest number of people possible, in the ways that make the greatest difference.

In Rotary, we see how much more we can achieve when we all work together. Through our Foundation, we are able to pool our resources and achieve even more. And the stronger our Rotary Foundation becomes, the greater the scope of the tasks we will be able to undertake successfully. We will be able to do far more good, in far more lasting ways.

So much of the good we do in Rotary happens with the support of our Rotary Foundation. I ask each of you to continue your support – this year, and every year – so that our good work may continue.

Glenn E. Estess Sr.

Foundation Trustee Chair