How do you give back?

Last issue I wrote about fear. It really struck a cord with a lot of people.

City of Lakes Rotary President,
Ed Kodet welcoming me

Today I’m thinking about positivity and giving back. I was invited to attend the City of Lakes Rotary at the Minneapolis Club in downtown Minneapolis this morning. I had heard of Rotary but didn’t really know what to expect.

An uplifting experience
I was delighted in what I experienced. I was met at the door by a greeter, then pointed in the direction of the coffee (important at 7:15 a.m. on Wed morning.) Then signed in. This club has more than 100 members and about 65 of them were at today’s meeting. The thing that struck me the most was how outwardly positive everyone was. It was easy to see that they liked each other and had built relationships that valued humor and ease. It was uplifting.

A best kept secret
The speaker was D. Stephen Elliott, the CEO of the Minnesota Historical society. If you live in Minnesota you’ll want to check out their website at www.mnhs.org  The you tube video on the home page is fascinating. Their programming provides fun and meaningful activities for all ages. Minnesota is one of the oldest and most respected Historical Societies in the country. It’s been a best kept secret. 

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A clean water well in Haiti

The water in Haiti
I was impressed by what the club did after the speaker finished. Mr. Elliott was presented with a bookmark made by a woman in Haiti. The City of Lakes Rotary works with Rotary International to sponsor clean water projects in Haiti. As a thank you to Mr. Elliott, the club is making a donation in his name to advance the water purification efforts. 

Rotary is an international service organization whose stated purpose is to bring together business and professional leaders in order to provide humanitarian services, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. 

Your own life will be changed
A few years ago, Rotary International President, Ron Burton, stated: “All of us came to Rotary to get involved, and to make a difference. And in Rotary service, as in just about everything else in life, the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. If you only put in a token effort, you won’t accomplish very much, and you won’t find much satisfaction in what you do accomplish. But when you make the decision to truly engage Rotary – to bring Rotary service and Rotary values into every day of your life – that is when you start to see the incredible impact that you can have. That’s when you find the inspiration, the excitement, and the power to truly change lives. And no one’s life will be changed more than your own.”  

Decide to engage
I love Mr. Burton’s quote. It can be applied to all areas of our lives. When we truly make the decision to engage in our families, our personal lives, our communities and our organizations, that is when we make a true positive difference. It’s energizing. It’s satisfying. It’s empowering. And it’s what being a leader is all about.

• Where do you go to participate in positive experiences and give back?
  
• If you’re not involved in Rotary, visit one of the clubs in your area and find out how you can get involved.  Learn more at www.rotary.org
  

Have a great week!