You may recall that we took a close look at the nature of Rotary when we had a presentation on the current political climate in the United States. As I reported at that meeting and in the subsequent Newsletter, Rotary’s approach is to foster informed, civil, and respectful dialogue and interactions. Rotary does not avoid difficult topics and seeks out opportunities to education its members. In doing so, Rotary does not take sides. However, individual members are free – and even encouraged – to be politically active, so long as we do so on our own time and in our individual capacities. At Club meetings and events, Rotary avoids inflammatory or unduly confrontational presentations, questions, or discussion. Rotary’s expectation and objective is to ensure that all members and guests feel welcome, and that the Club’s reputation for neutrality is maintained.
Accepting the universal application of Rotary principles may give each of us a fresh and deeper perspective to the four-way test. Wherever we are, whoever we are with, whatever we are doing, at all times, we should rely on the four-way test as our touch-stone and framework:
1. Is it the TRUTH – are we thinking, speaking, and acting in an honest and sincere manner?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned – are we thinking, speaking, and acting in a manner that seeks the best possible outcome for all, in a manner that transcends self-interest. To be clear, our own interests are as valuable as other interests, but we should strive to be in harmony with those other interests and not to sow or feed discord.
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS – are we consistently turning towards positivity and away from negativity. We will not always agree and compromise is not always a good result, but we should consistently strive to listen to other points of view and avoid the “echo chamber” that simply reinforces preconceived notions. In the end, this part of the test requires civil, respectful, thoughtful, and effective communication and interactions, whether or not we agree.
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned – to some extent, this is a restatement of the principle of fairness, as acting in a fair manner is most likely to be beneficial to all. It goes one step further and challenges us to think, speak, and act in a pro-active manner that actually seeks out a better result. We are challenged in this way to leave the part of the world we touch better than before, again, not just for us, but for all who may be affected. Here we find the heart of “service above self”, and we serve whether or not we are recognized for our good deeds. It is enough for each of us to know that we have met the test of selfless service, and it matters little whether or not anyone else knows it.
In sum, the four-way test is a challenge, an invitation, and a gift to each of us. It is not a jacket to put on for Rotary and then store away until the next Rotary event. Once we make the commitment to Rotary, the four-way test becomes an important part of how we think, speak, and act at all times and in all situations. For me, by adhering to the commitment, I aspire to be better, to help make the world I touch better, and to strive to touch more of the world.
What it means to be a Member of our Club:
In asking you to renew your membership last month, we also asked that you renew your Commitment. We suggested three different ways to do so, consistent with the three objectives that we stressed last year: Fellowship, Service, and Fun. These will continue to travel alongside the new objectives that Cindy has highlighted: Engagement and Transparency. As Cindy has put it, our new mantra is “Say Yes and Show Up”.
Let me show you how Fellowship, Service, and Fun blends seamlessly with Engagement and Transparency in terms of how you can strive to fulfill your commitment as a Rotarian and a member of our Club. Each of us will find our own way to serve. In doing so, I hope to touch on the many events and successes we had over the past year.
Fellowship
The primary opportunity for fellowship is at our Tuesday meetings. We have great speakers, good and great company, and we provide a good meal at a reasonable cost. Showing up at Tuesday meetings is the best way to stay up-to-date with what is happening in the Club, and to ask questions or share information – especially at monthly Club Assemblies. There is also a broader opportunity for fellowship by becoming involved at the District level or in activities at other Clubs within our District. There are plenty of other opportunities for fellowship, but let’s look at those under our headings of Service and Fun.
Let me be clear – we want as many as possible at each Tuesday meeting, but we fully understand that other commitments and vacation plans can interfere. Please do your best to attend: put it on your calendar, make it a priority, and commit to attending whenever possible.
Service
There are three primary opportunities for service:
1. Participate in at least one committee or event organizing team. We have several committees that need ACTIVE members: community, international, youth, membership, foundation, communication, and marketing to name the most obvious. Consider attending the Rotary International Conference – talk to Cindy, Michael, John, Tommy or others who have attended – in 2026, it is in Taipei, Taiwan, from June 13-17. We are always looking for people to step into a Board position and we will have several openings for 2026-27. As for events, Holiday House Tour is the most obvious, but we also have Canada Day, Paul Harris, Sunset Cocktail Party, Golf Day, and we re-introduced a Fashion Show last fall. If you have other ideas for fun, bring them forward – just as Marlene did when we had an August barnstorming meeting, complete with wine, music, and dancing!
2. Participate in the many opportunities that come up during the course of the year, such as Ride for Polio, Polo, Adopt-a-Road, breakfast program, support for our student programs, volunteering at the Holiday House Tour or Canada Day or other events. There are also many opportunities to work alongside the many organizations that we support, like the Museum, Red Roof, Yellow Door. Or you can follow the example of John Boot and many others, by visiting some of our International Projects or other Rotary Clubs.
3. Give money – especially to the Foundation. As we have repeatedly said, if you have the financial wherewithal to give to a charity, Rotary is one of the best charities you could choose. If you need simple instructions on how to donate – either on a recurring monthly basis or each year, just ask – Cindy, Joe Will, Peter Manning, Michael Bell, me, or many others.
Fun
If you aren’t already having fun being involved through the above categories of Fellowship and Service (and you WILL have fun), then this one is really easy – as Cindy will stress throughout her presidency, all you have to do is SHOW UP. Sometimes, there is a cost to events – like the December dinner and Paul Harris - but we try to keep it reasonable, and usually a bargain relative to what you would have to pay for similar events. Some events cost little more than your time, such as Sip and Savour and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. So, when we announce an upcoming event, make it a priority, and mark it on your calendar. After all, it will be time well spent with friends – indeed, you are most welcome to bring friends – as we all know (and frequently demonstrate), Rotary has allies as well as members.
Commitment
When we asked you to renew your membership, we also asked you to make the commitment to be an active Rotarian. As above, there are many different ways to show that commitment. While we love to see our members at Tuesday lunch, that is only one way and it is certainly not the only way. If you have any questions about how to make a commitment, please talk to any of us – Cindy, Chris, Michael, Tim, me, many others - and let’s try to find a way to make your membership meaningful. For our new members, let’s work together to help you become more involved. I think we can all be a little tentative at first, but it certainly should not stay that way. When you open the door into Rotary, there is a whole world of opportunities to explore. Please pay your money in June and please find a way to show commitment during the 12 months that follow.
Principles - Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion
I want to revisit some thoughts I wrote about a subject that should continue to be a shining light for us - Rotary is committed to DEI – here is the current statement from Rotary International:
• We believe that exemplifying and embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) should be a part of everything we do at Rotary.
• To ensure we live up to that ideal, the Board of Directors and our DEI Advisory Council acted to strengthen the DEI statement originally adopted in 2019:
At Rotary, we understand that cultivating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture is essential to realizing our vision of a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change.
- We value diversity and celebrate the contributions of people of all backgrounds, across age, ethnicity, race, color, disability, learning style, religion, faith, socioeconomic status, culture, marital status, languages spoken, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity as well as differences in ideas, thoughts, values, and beliefs.
- Recognizing that individuals from certain groups have historically experienced barriers to membership, participation, and leadership, we commit to advancing equity in all aspects of Rotary, including in our community partnerships, so that each person has the necessary access to resources, opportunities, networks, and support to thrive.
- We believe that all people hold visible and invisible qualities that inherently make them unique, and we strive to create an inclusive culture where each person knows they are valued and belong.
- In line with our value of integrity, we are committed to being honest and transparent about where we are in our DEI journey as an organization, and to continuing to learn and do better.
DEI means that everyone who accepts and exemplifies Rotary’s values (as summarized by the Four-Way Test) is welcome in Rotary and is welcome in our Club. DEI does NOT mean that some are more welcome than others and it does NOT mean that we should compromise our fundamental principles and expectations simply to expand membership.
I appeal to each of you to shut out the noise and distortions when it comes to DEI. As part of an international organization that includes members from many cultures and beliefs, it is particularly important for us to welcome, encourage, and embrace people from all backgrounds in keeping with, and in support of Rotary values such as fairness, tolerance, generosity, curiosity, and open-mindedness. As an additional point, this also applies to the people with whom and organizations with which we align – we certainly looked for shared values, but we do so with open minds and open arms.
Thank You
I said at the outset of my term, and I have repeated it often. We are a service organization. That commitment to service starts with me and extends to the Board. Your President and the Board serves our members and, with your support and involvement, indeed ONLY with your support and involvement, our Club serves our community and engages in international outreach.
If we have had a successful year – and I believe we have had a really good year – it is because I had a fantastic board and a very engaged membership – including many Rotary allies – spouses, partners, family members and friends.
I have thanked the Board before, but want to do so again, in no particular order:
Chris
John
Tim
Steve
Joe
Nancy
Jeannie
Michael
Paul
Carol
Cindy
with special mention to Graham for helping with our finances.
I also want to thank Dave Alexander for his leadership as our District Governor and for his support for our Club.
Thanks to all of you – I really enjoyed my time as President, I look forward to supporting Cindy and being an active part of this year’s Board. Most of all, I look forward to continuing as a Member of the NOTL Rotary Club and participating in our activities with so many friends.
Jamie Knight
Past President (416-554-1072)
