RI President Boyd Encourages Rotarians to Lead the Way

RI President Bill Boyd is encouraging Rotarians to Lead the Way in the 2006-07 Rotary year, calling his choice for the RI theme "an affirmation of my belief in the power of Rotarians to change the world, one positive act at a time."

Bill Boyd, who is a member of the Rotary Club of Pakuranga, Auckland, New Zealand, stresses sustainability in Rotary projects. "As Rotarians, we understand the truth of the old saying that when you give a person a fish, you feed him for a day; when you teach him to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.”

Bill has selected water as his first emphasis. "Without clean water, little else is possible. If you are thirsty, nothing else matters," he says.

Citing high childhood mortality rates caused by illness and malnutrition, Bill has chosen health and hunger as his second emphasis. " Without food, there is no health," he says. "And without health, there is no hope."

His third emphasis, literacy, is fitting for Bill, who used to work in his family's bookstore. He sees literacy as "the escape hatch from the cycle of poverty" and a natural complement to his emphases on water and health and hunger. "Literacy enables communities to take care of their water resources, address their own health and hunger issues, and teach the next generation," he says.

Given Rotary's need to think about the future, Bill is also emphasizing the family of Rotary, which he says includes Rotaractors, Interactors, Rotary Youth Exchange students, Inner Wheel club members, Rotary Foundation alumni, and Rotarians' families.

Bill says, "We are the ones who must Lead the Way”.

Commenting on the RI President’s focus on clean water, health & hunger, and literacy, the President of Rotary eClub One, Gerry Roberts, has confirmed that Rotary eClub One will undertake significant projects in each of these areas of need during this Rotary year.