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The video This Is Rotary is available on DVD as part of a collection of public service announcements and short videos about Rotary. Share this video with your family and friends.
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Introducing International President John Kenny
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Chosen to lead more than 1.2 million Rotarians, John Kenny past offices and honors include president of Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland, RI director, Rotary Foundation trustee and Major Donor, judge, and deputy lieutenant to Queen Elizabeth II
A lawyer, Kenny enjoyed covering all aspects of legal work, and retired as senior partner of his firm. His keen intellect and deep understanding of all sides of an issue have inspired his rise in law and Rotary.
Kenny's priority for membership is quality, not quantity. “Rotary has sometimes gone along a dangerous route, especially on membership,” Kenny says. “An influx of members this year, but how many stay for the next year? We must look at retention. To do that, we must bring in the right people, not just look at numbers. Membership is increasing in parts of the world where the community can see that Rotary is doing good work. If your club is busy, it will thrive,” he says.
When asked how Rotary should help young people today, he leans forward and gives a steely, straight-on look. “Think of what we can do. Water, literacy, education, health. There is so much that we Rotarians can do to help young people throughout the world.
Kenny has ambitious plans for his presidential term. As his RI theme, The Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands , suggests, he wants Rotarians to take personal responsibility for Rotary’s future. “On membership, for example, Rotary can do nothing, but every Rotarian can do something. There are a lot of good [potential] Rotarians in the community who have never been asked to join,” he says.
John’s wife wife June loves entertaining and is an accomplished cook and pianist. She served in every club office in Inner Wheel, but as John moved up through the Rotary ranks, she devoted more time to assisting him. “Rotary gives us the opportunity to do something for those less fortunate than we are.”
John concurs: “Rotary is about helping others. We are the fortunate ones. And to those that much is given, much is expected. There will never be peace in this world as long as there’s poverty. We must continue to face up to the challenges of poverty. Shortages of food and water will become a major issue this century. Rotary is not the United Nations. We’ll never solve all the problems of the world. That is not the function of Rotary. But we can be there to help and do what we can in a practical way.”
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| Who Are We?
| Members of a Rotary club are part of a diverse group of professional leaders working to address community and international service needs, and to promote peace and understanding throughout the world.
| - Rotary clubs receive a charter from the worldwide organisation - Rotary International.
- A Rotarian belongs to a particular Rotary club after being invited to join that club.
- Rotary districts are a way of grouping a number of clubs in a particular geographic area. The area covered quite often crosses state and even national boundaries.
- Rotary District 9800 encompasses the City of Melbourne, the Melbourne CBD, surrounding and Bayside Suburbs and country clubs that stretch as far as Echuca Moama on the Murray River in northern Victoria.
| For more detailed information about District 9800, its organisation, and area of coverage, please Click here
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