What makes Rotary so unique and worth sharing with the world? What unique opportunities do we create for our members and the people we serve? We love people and, wherever we go in the world, Rotarians become our best friends and we always wish we had more time with them. We are people from different backgrounds, different generations, languages, and cultures. Even the way we interact as Rotarians is different from country to country and club to club. And this diversity is what makes us great. We are strengthened by our differences and held together by the values we share. We are all bound in friendship and we all believe in The Four-Way Test. Rotary is experienced in different ways everywhere. But The Four-Way Test remains the same for everyone. Rotary provides opportunities for service projects that can be performed and completed by us. These projects are meaningful and sustainable. In Rotary, we do not just donate money, we also perform service and see the lasting impact of that service first-hand. This is unique to Rotary and something we cherish. Rotary has given many of us the opportunity to travel the world and allows us to put our service ideas into action. Rotary also provides opportunities for leadership. All of us have taken on great new responsibilities. This is our opportunity to strengthen our network, not for our personal glory, but for the good of Rotary and the community. In this way we want to continue to foster the relationships we have with partner clubs throughout the world. In this next year we aim to strengthen these partnerships and collaborate on projects to serve the neediest. Creating pathways to leadership for others is a true Rotary ideal — and it makes us more effective leaders. We are here because we believe in Rotary opportunities, in opportunities for others and for ourselves. We believe that our acts of service, big and small, create opportunities for people who need our help. We also know that every act of service will inspire and change us.
For my year as President of Rotary Club Sopot International I have chosen three words to guide my actions: LIGHT, CAPACITY, IMPACT. Here I explain what the words stand for.
- LIGHT
We need to become more known in our local communities. We want to shed a light on the challenges of our community and what we are doing to remedy these situations. We need to make sure more people learn about all the good things we do. We need to increase our profile in the community. - CAPACITY
We will grow in the number of members and good projects, at home and abroad. We shall grow in our will and ability to grow our club and increase its capacity to serve the community. - IMPACT
We will set inspiring goals and achieve them. We will show and prove that we are “people of action”
- In a Spirit of Hope – everything can be done.
Without Hope – nothing will happen.
We are not Optimists, not Pessimists.
We are Possibilists. - We Rotarians know that Action with Optimism can make Everything happen. Everything.
Just do it.
Do it now.
Yes, we can.
Yes, we are People of Action.
Yes, we are Ambassadors of Hope.
Bendt Haverberg
President 2020 -2021
