President David Anderson's Installation Address

It is daunting to stand before you on the threshold of a year as president, president of a club that is bursting with leadership, talent, and true Rotarian dedication to service above self.  It is such an honor to know that I follow in the footsteps of so many great Rotarians who have served as club presidents starting with Dr. James Jackson who founded Jackson Memorial Hospital and the local YMCA 95 years ago.  Our heritage as the second oldest Rotary club in the District is a legacy of service projects too numerous to list here, such as the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind, University of Miami Tissue Bank and the Thomas Brown McClelland Scholarship Program which has given out almost $5 million in scholarships to medical students.

Incoming Rotary International President Tanaka has chosen the 2012-2013 International Theme of “Peace Through Service” which has already touched many hearts in its simplicity yet ability to capture a major aspect of the meaning of Rotary.  The new theme is captured on the pins and the Rotary cookies at your tables. This year’s theme truly expresses our core value as expressed in “Service Above Self.”

Whether it is the 1.2 million business and professional leaders worldwide …. or the 2000 members we now count as District 6990 Rotarians …. Whether it is the 32,000 world clubs attempting to eradicate polio or when local clubs join forces to raise funds for water projects or relief for Haiti, …. we all believe we can make a difference under the collective banner of Rotary.

The more I have learned about the organization of Rotary during this past year in my training as a President Elect, the more I am humbled by the great work that has forged a pathway for all of us to acknowledge and to admire.  I would like to share with you one story I heard at the President Elect Training Seminar in Orlando which is so common.  A man I’ll call “Joe” was asked to join a Rotary club and was installed.  He came to some meetings and took some time to get involved.  After awhile, he was asked to play Santa at a holiday party given by his club for some disadvantaged elementary school children.  He donned his costume and soon had a line of children waiting to tell Santa what they wanted.  It wasn’t long before Johnny climbed up on his knee and when asked what he wanted, Johnny said he wanted to have a mattress to sleep on because he had to sleep on the floor and it was too cold.  Next, Susie asked Santa to make her mother’s boyfriend stopping hitting her mother.

Needless to say, this was not exactly what Joe thought he had signed up for.  The next day, he made sure to get a mattress to Johnny and after a few phone calls, he made sure that Susie’s mother was not being hit again.  Joe went from being a member of a Rotary club to being a Rotarian.

This brings me to my “theme” for this next year:  "Making a Difference....With Passion", as you can see on the banner.  Yes, we are making a difference in the world in so many ways, in our communities but most importantly, we are making a difference in ourselves.  Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote the following: “I think that, as life is action and passion, it is required of a person that he should share the passion and action of his time at peril of being judged not to have lived.”

We are blessed with a club full of dedicated Rotarians who are committed to making a difference by practicing Service Above Self.  By doing so, the greatest change is occurring within each one of us.   I heard a minister say that a church without faith is just a Rotary Club; I say that a Rotary Club without passion is just, well, a country club.

RI President Tanaka has expressed this very well: “Through our service, we learn that the problems that may seem large to us are really very small.  We learn empathy for others.  We come closer to people who seem very different from us.  And we begin to understand how alike we really are.  Through Rotary service, we learn that cooperation is more productive than conflict.  We learn to value each other, as human strengths and weaknesses.  We learn that everyone of us has something to give, and everyone of us has something to teach.  To me, Service Above Self is more than just a motto.  It is a way of life–one that will make any life richer and more meaningful.”

My goals for this club for the next year are straightforward: to concentrate on the basics.  We need to reach out and recruit quality new members to bring in additional talents and contributions in our quest to make a difference; to plan and implement service projects that impact our community in a tangible and identifiable way; to promote and foster leadership and business skills of our members so that business among fellow Rotarians is increased; to have fun and enjoy guests and family members in social activities; and most importantly, to hand over our club improved in all areas.

In closing, I wish to thank each of you for being here this evening and making the Rotary Club of Miami a better club.  Each one of you is important to me; even more, you are important to this club, your community and to Rotary.  Keep making a difference, with passion!