Rotary eClub One

President's Message SEPTEMBER 2014

Welcome visiting Rotarians and Rotary eClub One members. September is “New Generations” Month. Having been involved in Rotary Youth Exchange for many years I recognize the importance of providing young people with the opportunity to learn about their strengths, how to work with others and how to gain a better understanding of other cultures. In doing this we are helping to promote peace through better understanding. Time passes quickly and those young people we are working with today will very soon be community and world leaders.

Rotary eClub One has many members currently working with young people. They are helping them develop skills in a variety of ways through YRLA, RYLA, literacy programs, coaching in sports and Youth Exchange programs to name a few. For those of you visiting our website to make up for a missed meeting; you will find many programs related to working with youth submitted by our club members. We hope you enjoy.

There are many ways to inspire our young people. The best way by far is to live by example. There are many quiet heroes out there and I thank you all. Let me leave you with a poem I love to read quite often and it hangs in my office.

The Bridge Builder

By Will Allen Dromgoole 1860–1934

An old man going a lone highway,

Came, at the evening cold and gray,
To a chasm vast and deep and wide.
Through which was flowing a sullen tide
The old man crossed in the twilight dim,
The sullen stream had no fear for him;
But he turned when safe on the other side
And built a bridge to span the tide.

“Old man,” said a fellow pilgrim near,

“You are wasting your strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day,
You never again will pass this way;
You’ve crossed the chasm, deep and wide,
Why build this bridge at evening tide?”

The builder lifted his old gray head;

“Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said,
“There followed after me to-day
A youth whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm that has been as naught to me
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be;
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building this bridge for him!”

May we all be bridge builders. Have a lovely day.

Yours in Rotary Service,

Tracy, President, Rotary eClub One 2014-2015