Passing The Baton
Happy Rotary Fellowships Month!
June is the month of Rotary fellowships. It is also the last month in the Rotary year, an opportunity to finish strong.
I want to start by thanking profusely all Rotarians and Rotaractors from District 9212 for your hard work, impactful projects, and collaboration throughout the year. Your dedication and teamwork have been the backbone of our success and you have all truly upheld the spirit of our annual district theme, “We Are One!”
As this is my final message before passing the baton to my brother incoming District Governor Dr. Joe Kamau at the end of the month, it is important to reflect on the accomplishments of the 2023/2024 year, which ends on June 30th. From raising over USD 300,000 for The Rotary Foundation through our Jenga Foundation campaign, streamlining our grant processes, strengthening our district governance, forging strategic partnerships, hosting a successful district conference in Watamu, growing our membership and our heightening our public image efforts, we have significantly enhanced our reach. Even so, our work is not yet done and we can only grow stronger.
This means that even as club leaders and District leaders take the final steps in handing the baton of leadership to a new set of individuals, we must continue with our practice of weekly gatherings and enjoying the camaraderie of our fellow Rotarians.
We still need to cheerfully give our happy dollars and settle our financial obligations to our clubs the District, our country offices and to Rotary International. Our giving to The Rotary Foundation is still on, through the Jenga campaign by Rotary District 9212. Adding to our numbers by recruiting nurturing and inducting new members doesn’t stop. Mostly importantly, addressing the needs of our communities through service projects shouldn’t lose steam.
This is the busiest period for both contributions to the Foundation as well as requests for recognition. To help ensure that all contributions and recognition requests are processed as quickly and as accurately as possible, all contributions should be received in the respective Rotary International and Rotary Foundation bank accounts by 28th June 2024. Any contribution received after that will be credited towards the new 2024-2025 Rotary year.
State of the District Address
As we approach the end of this Rotary year, I would like to extend an invitation to all members to join me for a final State of the District address to be held on Saturday 29 June 2024. This virtual meeting will be an opportunity to review our wins and accomplishments, and to discuss the way forward as I hand over the baton to incoming District Governor Joe Kamau, who takes office on July 1. Let us come together to celebrate our achievements and look ahead to the future.
Rotary Fellowships
One other area of focus during this month is Rotary fellowships. As a Rotarian, you have an opportunity to join Rotary Fellowships, which are international groups that share a common passion such as golfing, biking, camping, performing arts, entrepreneurship and anything else that you enjoy.
Being part of a Rotary fellowship is a fun way to make friends around the world, explore a hobby or profession, and enhance your Rotary experience. Some groups use their fellowship to make a positive difference
Rotary Fellowships consist of people who share a common interest in recreational activities, hobbies, professions, or cultural identity. These groups help expand skills, foster vocational development, and enhance the Rotary experience by exploring interests while developing connections around the world.
Organized internationally by at least 25 individuals from five countries with the purpose to further friendship and build community around a shared passion and interest. This helps participants to make lasting friendships outside their own club, district, or country and provide fun and diverse ways of participating in Rotary International.
The fellowships are affiliated with Rotary International but establish their own administrative structures and plan and oversee their activities and events. As much as possible, the fellowships should maintain a global presence and offer engaging, meaningful events and activities to fellowship members. Therefore, platforms for in-person and virtual networking by illustrating Rotary’s inclusivity of many vocations, interests, cultures and identities.
About 67% of fellowships incorporate hybrid components in their meetings, events, and activities and there are more than 57,000 Rotarians who belong to Rotary Fellowships. Globally, there are more than 100+ active fellowships as of 2023, with more being formed each year. 150+ countries are home to fellowship members.
We are indeed spoilt for choice on which Rotary fellowship to join from this long list that is available on the Rotary International website https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/more-fellowshipsIf your recreational or vocational interest isn’t represented by Rotary‘s current fellowships, visit rotary.org/fellowships or email rotaryfellowships@rotary.org for more information about starting a new group.
“Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change — across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves“.- Rotary. Let’s continue with the same energy as we’ve had throughout the year to grow our membership, give to the Rotary Foundation, effect bigger impact in our communities and finish strong as our year comes to an end on 30 June2024
We Are One!
Leonard Ithau,
District Governor- Rotary District 9212 (2023/2024)
