Rotary Program for January 3, 2006

THE Email Amplifier
Tuesday, January 3, 2006

Remember: Next 6 meetings to be held at Mid-Oho Conference CenterROTARY CLUB OF MANSFIELD


Speaker: Duana Patton, Director

Introduction by: Sheila York-Eichinger

Program: Area Agency on Aging

Invocator: Arnold Haring

Greeter: Kim Harper


Happy New Year
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SALVATI0N ARMY WRAP-UP

Randy and Marci Orr sent a warm letter to the membership stating that our food drive netted 25 boxes of canned goods and $22.00 in cash. The Holiday Bell-Ringing netted $3,165.12 from Rotary’s efforts and “only” $2,217.55 from Kiwanis’s efforts. As usual, Rotary bested Kiwanis once again. The Orr’s letter summarized our efforts by reminding us that we helped make the Christmas season more joyful for many families, children and elderly in our community.

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CHANGE OF VENUE

Beginning on January 3rd and lasting for six weeks, the Mansfield Rotary Club will be meeting at the Mid-Ohio Conference Center along Fourth Street (near the new High School and the old Kroger’s Store). The building is the old E-City and is operated by the Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center. The first three meetings will be catered by Ed Pickens of Park Avenue Express Cafe and the last three weeks by Rotarian Debra Wood of Derrenberger’s Restaurant. The reason for the change is that Westbrook will be closed during this time.

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Membership is Everyone’s Responsibility

Membership in Rotary International

If you asked a Rotarian if he or she belonged to Rotary International, the individual probably would look puzzled and answer, “Of course I’m a member of Rotary International.” But in this instance, the confident Rotarian would be technically wrong. No Rotarian can be a member of Rotary International!

The explanation of this apparent contradiction is simple. The constitutional documents of RI state that membership in Rotary International is limited to Rotary clubs. More than 32,000 Rotary clubs belong to the organization we call Rotary International.

A Rotary club is composed of persons with the appropriate qualifications of good character and reputation and a business or professional classification and who serve in an executive or managerial capacity. The Rotarian belongs to a club — the club belongs to Rotary International. This technical distinction is not obvious or even known to most Rotarians and seldom does it create any problems or complications. It does explain, however, why the Rotary International Board of Directors places expectations upon and extends privileges to Rotary clubs, rather than to individual Rotarians.

If someone asks if you belong to Rotary International, your most accurate answer would be, “No, I belong to a Rotary club.” But it is doubtful anyone would understand the difference, or, in fact, would really care.


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Did You Know?
The 4-Way Test

One of the most widely printed and quoted statements of business ethics in the world is The 4-Way Test. It was created by Rotarian Herbert I. Taylor in 1932 when he was asked to take charge of the Chicago-based Club Aluminum Company, which was facing bankruptcy Taylor looked for a way to save the struggling company mired in depression-caused financial difficulties. He drew up a 24-word code of ethics for all employees to follow in their business and professional lives. The 4-Way Test became the guide for sales, production, advertising, and all relations with dealers and customers, and the survival of the company was credited to this simple philosophy.

Herb Taylor became president of Rotary International during 1954-55. The 4-Way Test was adopted by Rotary in 1943 and has been translated into more than 100 languages and published in thousands of ways. The message should be known and followed by all Rotarians. “Of the things we think, say or do: 1. Is it the TRUTH? 2. Is it FAIR to all concerned? 3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? 4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?”


Have a great week!