Are you a Rotary superhero?

Evan Burrell reveals his “superhero” Rotary identity.

By Evan Burrell, a member of the Rotary Club of Turramurra, New South Wales, Australia

I’m sure that, as a child, you had a favorite superhero. Maybe it was Batman or Superman or Wonder Woman or even Spiderman, weaving webs or leaping tall buildings in a single bound to help those in need.

Now that we’re older, we know all too well that that sort of superhero is hard to find. But do you know the easiest place to find modern-day superheroes? Your local Rotary club! And they don’t even hide behind a secret identity.

Much like our comic book counterparts, Rotary members are regular people who go about their daily lives until “the call comes in.”

Through our membership in Rotary, we are able to make a difference in many different ways.

Recently, Rotarians joined other volunteers in immunizing thousands of children against polio during a one-day End Polio Now immunization drive in Pakistan. Rotary superheroes leapt to action in Gujarat, India, launching a program to put books into the hands of children from low-income families. Other superheroes formed a new Rotarian Action Group aimed at protecting the world’s most endangered species. Several years ago, Rotary heroes in the New England region of the United States provided long-term recovery assistance to those affected by Tropical Storm Irene.

Being members of a Rotary club, we have the power to lead by example and become role models for others through our integrity and willingness to help those in need.

Accomplishing all these heroic acts requires willing minds and willing hearts. That’s what enables ordinary people to achieve extraordinary results. Our children, our friends, our partners, our community — anyone we interact with can be inspired in some small way by our actions and deeds.

Superheroes don’t just exist in comic books or movies. And luckily, we don’t need to put on a cape to be effective. Each of us, through Rotary, has the power to do good in the world and to make a difference in the lives of others.

Rotarians are truly modern-day superheroes! How are you making a difference through Rotary? Are you a Rotary superhero?

For Membership and New Club Development Month in August, we are collecting stories from members about why they joined– and are proud to stay– in Rotary. Tell us your story on Facebook

About the author: Evan Burrell is a member of the Rotary Club of Turramurra, New South Wales, Australia, and a former member of Rotaract. He has been involved with Rotary since he was 18 and served Rotaract in almost every capacity possible before joining Rotary. He currently manages social media for Rotary Down Under, the Rotary regional magazine of Australia.

9 thoughts on “Are you a Rotary superhero?”

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So True!
Having moved one hour away I spoke to 3 successive Presidents of our Club who were happy for me to continue to come when convenient but also be involved in projects that could be done from a distance such as RYPEN Camp Mum and organise a Silent Auction
This gave me the thread I needed to still be connected to other members and now having returned to the area accept the honour of next President

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I became a member of The Rotary Club of Del Rio TX to help make a difference in our beautiful border Town, and to be A Gift To The World!
I’m Very Proud to be part of this Amazing group of people.

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You are doing positive job

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Reblogged this on shanakyar.

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Some Rotarians s giving of their time,money and themselves are almost sacrificial.Barely two years ago Sept 2013 The Rotary Club of Oluyole Estate,D9125,had their 2nd Road Safety Literacy workshop in collaboration with Federal Road Safety Commission ,Ibadan the target bike riders arranged to participate and be tested and certified almost declined the free opportunity.Until the president tackled an incentive contingency for 22 trainees unlike the initial exercise they were begging to be enlisted.This is less heroic compared to Tom Henderson s Shelter Box Solution for quick and efficient response to disaster response anywhere needed globally initiated barely 13 years ago.The Founder,Tom Henderson ,OBE asked himself what will i need if a disaster struck and everything is destroyed? He listed them as shelter warmth,protection comfort,dignity,stability and hope.He reassured his capacity in the support of 1.2 million Rotarians worldwide.Today the project has been supported as a RI as an invaluable partner ,it has formalized partnerships with key similar organisations such as s i r UNICEF,OXFAM,UNHCR,SAVE THE CHILDREN RED CROSS and it has established a training citadel ,International Academy for Disaster Manpower Training which is maintained by experts from different sectors.Imagine how strict its admission process – for every applicant who applied to be trained only one out of 20 made it to the assessment process.Shelter Box Solution ‘s Relief partnership has enabled every victim that needs a world class relief after flood or katrina or earth quake receives it.
HRH The Duchess of Cornwall ,The President of the Project was amazed when she visited the warehouse of the project at Helston where a total AID for 250,000 people were packed and delivered following a devastating earthquake in HAITI.Whereas only 243 shelter boxes were delivered in the first year of operation by the end of 2010 ,the Solution has responded to 19 other disasters around the world and have delivered 45,000 boxes of Shelter
Within 10 years Shelter box has responded to 128 disasters,146 deployments in 68 countries and involving or surviving 100,000 families around the world.As W.H.O. experts will say individuals can also change the world.Al though it was Tom Henderson who originated it -it s now an impact Rotary project and a globally supported efficient disaster relief service that has been awarded including the Beacon Fellowship Award For New Initiatives in 2008,2006,,RIBI SERVICE AWARD and many others outside of the UK including South Africa,Portugal,Brazil,Luxembourg,Belgium Norway, Netherlands,France ,Denmark,Canada ,Australia.To JOIN Rotary or become a Rotarian you need not be as heroic as Tom Henderson but you can share accessible club s seats or events with Rotarians like him all over the world..He s an ex marine officer and his undaunted compassion for people is incredible and he knows networking with Rotary -as the world ‘s 1st humanitarian service organisation -he will be able to actualize his vision for the safety of precious lives that would have been wasted beyond redemption.Rotary Loves The World in practice .This is heroic but majorly one of a maze of what individual Rotarians have done leveraging on the power of others or Rotary Club per se..An African adage says the power of joint effort is immense and does n’t deceive!
Gbemi Tijani
PP,PHF,ROTI,PR Chair RC Oluyole Estate Cedar Resorts Ibadan D9125

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