Another Great RI Convention

By PRIP Frank Devlyn (Friend of Rotary eClub One)

We had another great R.I. convention where we all had a chance to learn more about Rotary.

More importantly, we had a Chance to Live the Internationality of Rotary.

My wife Gloria Rita and I always enjoy attending our Rotary International Conventions because besides seeing Old Amigos / Friends, we also get a chance to make new Amigos / Friends.

This was our 34th. Consecutive Rotary International Convention………so you know that we are hooked on Rotary Conventions and that is why we are proud to belong to the “Rotarian Convention Goers Fellowship” of Rotary International.  The objective of this Official Rotary Fellowship is that it allows those of us who have a passion in attending Rotary Conventions to come together and talk about past conventions besides helping to promote future Convention Attendance.

The program was outstanding as was the entertainment.  Congratulations to PRIP Bill Boyd and the International and Host Convention Committees.

I was personally glad to see the great work of so many individual club and district projects seen in different booths of the House of Friendship.  It was an experience visiting each of these booths to learn more about the Why, How and Where of these hundreds of projects so as to tell others in my club and district about them.  When I see these projects I make it a point to try and get those who are interested in similar type of projects worldwide that I have met or know about to come together.  Seeing the work of these projects makes going to our convention worth the money invested in going because you learn so much by simply visiting and speaking with those involved in the projects that are exhibited.

What really stood out in my personal opinion is the work of The New different ROTARIAN ACTION GROUPS (RAGS) authorized by the Board of Directors.  These RAGS are involved with Water, Aids, Population, Blindness Prevention, etc.  Rotarians that have a passion with a variety of issues such as those mentioned have a chance to come together and proactively promote related projects.  Basically this means that some might have a special interest in promoting projects in which their particular club might not be willing to give full support due to other pending projects.  They took a long time coming about but they are now here to stay thanks to a Forward Thinking Board of Directors that sees the benefit of Changing with the Times.  I was especially proud of the proactive work of The Blindness Prevention Rotarian Action Group that has carried out over 500 thousand sight restoring projects in developing countries. This simply shows the Magic and Power of Rotary Creating Awareness and Taking Action.

I hope all of you also Lead The Way by Creating Awareness and Taking Action as to taking back a message how Rotary Shares when you explain all that you also lived and learned by attending the Salt Lake City Convention and that you encourage others to attend next year’s convention in Los Angeles, Ca.

Hope that some of you will be encouraged to order my different Frank Talk books at www.franktalkbooks.com that was often mentioned at the convention.  There has to be something to these books that have now sold over 300,000 copies and the profit from the sales going to the Blindness Prevention Donor Advised Fund of The Rotary Foundation.

Your Amigo in Mexico City,

Frank Devlyn

Past President of Rotary International

Friend of Rotary eClub One