[D9640general] President Wilfrid J. Wilkinson's September MESSAGE

[Garry & Anne Krischock]

All of us in Rotary know that we're a part of something larger than 
ourselves. We know that Rotary is an organization that transcends the 
boundaries of religion, language, and culture. We know that it is a 
force for peace, goodwill, and fellowship, and we know that it is a 
force 1.2 million strong. But most Rotarians' involvement in Rotary 
is made up primarily of club meetings, community projects, and 
international work through partnerships with other clubs. Because of 
practical reasons, most Rotarians don't travel to distant countries 
when they're part of a service project abroad.

What this means, though, is that for most of us, the internationality 
of Rotary can seem distant, and it can be difficult to fully 
understand. As a new member of the Rotary Club of Trenton, Ont., 
Canada, I was very happy being part of an organization that I saw 
doing so much good work locally. I might have stayed focused on that 
local work for years had there not been an international convention 
scheduled in Toronto shortly after I joined.

That first convention was what really opened my eyes to Rotary. It 
brought the world of Rotary, the world that stretches far beyond my 
own club, all together in one place. I saw how truly international an 
organization Rotary was, and I understood, for the first time, just 
what I had become a part of - and just how much there was to do, to 
contribute, and to become.

At a convention, you start to see your own club in context, as part 
of a network of 32,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and 
geographical areas. You're inspired by the work that so many of these 
clubs are doing, and you bring new knowledge and ideas home to your 
own club. Most important, perhaps, are the personal connections made 
at a convention: the friendship and fellowship that will link your 
club to others for many years to come.

The 2008 RI Convention will be held in Los Angeles, a multicultural 
city that is a fitting site for such an event. If you've already been 
to a convention, perhaps you need no convincing to register for this 
one. Los Angeles is a city of stars, and when you come, you will see 
the Rotary stars, the Hollywood stars, and the stars twinkling in the 
sky over the Hollywood Bowl. If you've never been to a convention, 
then I urge you to join Joan and our whole family for a wonderful few 
days of fellowship and inspiration. I believe this event will change 
your life, as it did for Joan and me in 1964.

Wilfrid J. (Wilf) Wilkinson
President, Rotary International



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