Making a difference is an expression you hear all the time about Rotary, the opportunities that we have and the things that we do.

What kind of a difference each club and each Rotarian chooses to make will always be their own decision. But we are united in our organization and its common principles: our insistence on ethics and our commitment to Service Above Self.  In Rotary, we know that we can do more together than we could ever hope to do alone.  It is the principle on which our service is based, and it is true at every level of Rotary. At the end of my year as DG the legacy that I wish to leave our district is ‘Happy clubs, Happy District’. If we can achieve that by working more collaboratively together, between clubs and across the district, then the exchange of ideas, the friendships created and the goals that we achieve can only lead to happier more engaged Rotarians. If this is achieved then this can have the added flow on effect of increased membership which obviously will have a greater benefit on the world we live in, locally, nationally and internationally. Let me emphasize again that the year ahead of us all is to make it Rotary’s year to shine. It is the year all of us have committed to dedicate to service through Rotary.  It is Rotary making a difference by building stronger and more active clubs that serve in better and more lasting ways. It is believing in a Rotary that is recognized for the good work it does — a Rotary that will continue to grow, to endure, to go from strength to strength — making a difference to our communities, our countries, and our world. That is what we will achieve together this year