Rotary 5440 District:
Did you know John F. Kennedy was a Rotarian? Fun fact, he was! He said something similar to this, well… kind of the opposite.
But it raises an interesting question: What are you getting out of your Rotary experience?
If you don’t know what you want from Rotary yet, that’s okay. Spend some time attending things. Get involved. Try different experiences. You’ll find some great things along the way.
But I’m going to guess that a lot of you actually do know what you want from Rotary. And while you might be surprised by some of the things you ultimately get out of it, it’s important to make sure you’re finding value in your membership. It’s also important to communicate what you’re hoping to get from your Rotary experience and then go out and engage.
The number one thing I see with members who aren’t having the amazing Rotary experience that so many of us have is pretty simple: they’re not putting themselves out there. You get out of Rotary what you put into Rotary.
Maybe what you really want is more service opportunities. Maybe you’re looking for different social experiences. Maybe you want stronger friendships, professional connections, leadership opportunities, or something completely different. Whatever it is, odds are there are other Rotarians looking for something similar.
So communicate with your club. Talk to your fellow members. Get engaged. Don’t just sit passively and think, “Huh. This isn’t exactly what I was hoping to get.”
And remember, Rotary is one big family. If you feel like you’re not in the right seat on the bus, maybe you just need to change seats. Because odds are, you’re still on the right bus. And there’s no better bus than the Rotary bus.
Thank you all for your amazing service and everything you’re doing. I really look forward to seeing you soon. Thanks!
Yours in Rotary,
Albon Shaw
District Governor 2026-2027
Rotary District 5440
