
RIPresident'sMessage–Sep2019
HereintheUnitedStates,anothersummeriswindingdown.Andforthe
Maloney family, every summer ends with a return to my hometown of
Ridgway,Illinois,fortheannualPopcornDayfestival,whereIamhonoredto
serveasthe“PopcornKing,”themasterofceremoniesfortheday’sevents.
Regardlessoftheseason,everyfamilyhasitsowntraditions.Iwouldliketo
suggestanewoneforyours:Findanopportunitytointroduceyourfamilyto
Rotary.Oneofmyfamily’straditionsistotakeourdaughtersandgrandsons
totheRotaryInternationalConvention.The2020conventioninHonolulu
willbeawonderfulwaytointroduceyourchildrenandgrandchildrentothe
internationalityofRotary.Weareplanningmanyfamily-orientedeventsfor
everyonetoenjoy.
AnytimeisafabuloustimetobringfamilymembersonaRotaryserviceprojectortoafundraisingevent.But
perhapsyouhavenotseenmanyfamily-friendlyeventsatyourclub.Thatispreciselywhyoneofmytop
prioritiesthisyearistomakemostRotaryeventswelcomingtofamilymembers.
WemustfosteraculturewhereRotarydoesnotcompetewithfamily,butcomplementsit.Weshouldnever
expectourmemberstochoosebetweenthetwo.Thatmeansbeingrealisticinourexpectations,considerate
inourscheduling,andwelcomingofchildrenatRotaryeventsoneverylevel.
Often,the youngprofessionalsthatRotary needs to attractinorder toremaina dynamic21st-century
serviceorganizationaretheverypeoplewhohavethegreatestfamilyresponsibilities.Wemustnotkeep
theseprospectiveyoungmembersawayfromtheirfamiliesbyholdingeventsoneveningsandweekendsat
whichtheirchildrenarenotwelcome.
Fortoolong,wehaveclosedthedoorsofmanyRotaryeventstochildrenandsometimesevenspouses.What
wastedopportunitiestheseare!EverychancewehavetopassonthegiftofRotarytoyoungpeopleisonewe
musttakeifwearegoingtogrowRotaryandensurethatthenextgenerationisfullyengagedinourmission.
Soletusopenourdoorsanddoitinafunway,withopportunitiesthatmakeourchildrenandgrandchildren
wanttolearnmoreaboutInteract,Rotaract,andRotarymembership.Startsmallifyoumust—perhapsby
holdingsomeofyourmeetingsatmorefamily-friendlytimes—butthinkabouthowyoucancontinuethese
kindsofeventsforyearstocome.
BringingchildrentoRotaryeventsisnotjustfun;italsoexposesthemtotheworld!Makethisamemorable
yearforyourfamily—andanunforgettableyearfortheever-expandingfamilyofRotaryasRotaryConnects
theWorld.
MarkDanielMaloney
President2019-20