Rotarians are leaders in what we do and serve our communities. We are people of principles, values, and beliefs. We look for the best in our daily activities and tend to be optimists. Rotarians have adopted four guiding objectives with summaries re-phrased in my own words:
1. Through service, we make endearing friendships.
2. We value high ethical standards in our business and personal lives.
3. Providing services to others provides us with the abilities to receive much more than what we receive.
4. We look to finding peaceful solutions in our community, business dealing and in the international scope of fellowship with others throughout the world.
Let’s focus on this last objective, being understand, goodwill and peace. Local Rotarian Michael Hayes of the Rotary Club of Conroe chaired Rotary International’s Committee to promote peace this past year and has provided numerous insights on how Rotary International is working globally and locally. Rotarians promote peace on an international basis by:
• Fighting disease
• Providing clean water and sanitation
• Improving the health of mothers and children
• Supporting education
• Growing local economies
• Carrying out service projects
• Supporting peace fellowships and scholarships
• Addressing the underlying causes of conflict, including poverty, discrimination, ethnic tension, lack of access to education, and unequal distribution of resources.
Local Rotary Clubs are involved in drilling water wells in third world countries, fighting polio throughout the world, providing loans to business entrepreneurs in third world countries, supplying Shelter Boxes, assisting women in third world countries, and a simple project started by the Rotary club of Lake Conroe. They collected empty toilet tissue rolls, stuff them with hard candy, and wrap them with gift wrapping paper for distribution to third world kids. These random acts of kindness subtly promote peace since they show kindness to others. We also know that these gifts, albeit it small, can be huge to those youngsters in third world countries who have little to look forward to at Christmas.
One of my favorite peace initiatives is a simple four sided poles have a phrase on the side which says, “May Peace prevail on earth.” Each of the four sides of the Peace Pole have this simple statement in English or one of a myriad different languages. Rotarians can install these poles for about $350 per Peace Pole. My goal is to have the City of Conroe allow these Peace Poles in each of their parks. This could be expanded by The Rotary Club of The Woodlands to all of the parks in The Woodlands Townships with the other three Rotary Clubs in Montgomery County installing these Peace Poles in Montgomery County Parks. Businesses can also sponsors these Peace Poles. This one-time act of installing a Peace Pole can be compounded with Peace Parades on a regular basis to celebrate peace. We can see peace in these actions and much more just be dreaming.
For more information on Rotary, please email Ron Saikowski at rsaikowski@comcast.net.
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