Have you ever thought about how one person with a dream can start something small and turn it into a global cause? The power of Rotary's 1.4 million members, each with a different set of skills, spread across the world is immense.
“Some men see things as they are, and say why. I dream of things that never were, and say why not.” Those words resonate with the very essence of Rotary. - Robert F. Kennedy
Take Rotary's fight against Polio. It began as a simple project to immunize children in one district in the Philippines and grew into this amazing worldwide initiative called PolioPlus, that's close to wiping out Polio.
But that's not the only cool thing Rotary's been up to. There's a project called StoveTeam International in Central America. A Rotarian named Nancy Hughes (who happens to be my sister) had this vision of eco-friendly stoves. Fast forward, and there are now factories across several countries, new jobs, and safer cooking for more than half a million people!
And then there's Malaria Partners International in Africa. Bill Gates Sr. a member of Seattle4 Rotary had an idea for their club's featured Centennial project to fight malaria. They started with something as simple as bed nets. Now, with loads of support from a number of partners, they're training neighborhood health workers in multiple countries and making real strides against the disease.
What's awesome about all this is that these dreams didn't just stay dreams. They became real, tangible projects that have brought about so much good in the world.
"It always seems impossible until it's done." - Nelson Mandela
With Rotary, you've got this massive family ready to help out. Your idea, coupled with Rotary's values and network, can move mountains. Changing the world is an exciting adventure with Rotary.
What can YOU do?
Love the quote from Nelson Mandela. Who of us doesn't need a reminder of an impossible task that became doable!