Presidents' Messages  

by Harry Hoffman, D.D.S.
(President 2005-2006, Orthodontist)

This is Rotary’s centennial year, and we are celebrating it by re-dedicating ourselves to our original Motto, ”Service Above Self”. If you’re new to Rotary, and this web-site, you’re probably asking, “What Is Rotary?” Rotary is a volunteer service organization, which crosses geographical and cultural barriers like no other organization. We are the oldest of the service organizations, reaching out around the globe.

You may ask, what does “Service Above Self” mean? This concept of service is demonstrated by Rotary in so many ways.  Rotary is made up of caring men and women who want to help improve conditions in their communities, and around the world. We are business people, professionals, managers and shopkeepers in this community who volunteer our time, energy, and service to help others.

In the Rotary Club of Jenkintown we have approximately 80 members from all walks of life, and are always open to new members. We serve, through our fund-raisers, over 31 local and international charities. For example, this year so far, Rotary International has raised and distributed over $5 million dollars for relief of tsunami victims, and we reach the needy, not through governments, but directly to the Rotary clubs in the effected areas, who direct its disbursement.

For twenty years now Rotary has spearheaded a worldwide drive to eradicate polio and its devastating effects. We have reached out with the help of the UN, CDC, and The World Health Organization, to administer over 2 billion doses of vaccine to children everywhere, saving many thousands of lives and hundreds of thousands from the crippling effects of polio.

Ours is a weekly meeting filled with good fellowship, good food, and stimulating speakers to awaken your knowledge on many fronts.   What Is Rotary? It’s making you feel good by helping others. COME JOIN US!!

by Ronald Renzi, D.P.M.
(President 2003-2004, Podiatrist)

Lending a hand is our Rotary theme this year. It's what Rotarians do all over the world.   We lend a hand to local charities.  We donate time, money, and expertise to help charities achieve worthy goals. Collectively, Rotary clubs support the Rotary International Foundation, which is leading a global effort to eradicate polio.

We meet weekly to share a meal, jokes, and conversation.  But we also encourage, advise, work together as Rotarians, and make each other stronger.  We help each other. We lend a hand. We do good things and we have fun, too.

Lend a hand! Join us!  Make your community more human, richer in spirit. That is what Rotarians do!

by Dolores Kuykendall
(President 2002-2003, Theatre Director, retired teacher at Jenkintown High School)

When Rotary International relaxed its classification specifications for Rotary membership, I began to think again about what Rotary really means to me.  Rotary is not only about jobs and professions, raising money, or giving checks to charities.  It is about people; individuals who work together toward a common goal.

Our club is made up of some of the finest human beings I've ever had the pleasure to know.  They are warm and friendly, accepting, intelligent, educated people.  Each one of them is talented in his or her own special field.  They work together beautifully, while giving freely of those talents, to achieve our club's goals for the good of local communities, and communities around the world.  Our membership truly embodies our goal of service above self!

Rotary clubs are rich - not with money, but with people: individual members dedicated to humanitarian service, high ethical standards in all vocations, and to goodwill and peace in the world.

 "Sow the Seeds of Love" and may our clubs grow and flourish.

Who are we?

by Laura Burnham (President 2001-2002, Director of Abington Art Center)

I got a recent chuckle from a character on the television show, West Wing, giving the fictional White House staff member a hard time for making a condescending remark about Rotarians.  He emphatically replied, "I am a Rotarian. Rotarians do good things ! "

He went on to quote some impressive statistics for which I thought "Yeah, take that!"  What struck me next was that I shared his indignation in needing to set the record straight.

Okay, well yes, we meet in the basement of a church every Tuesday for lunch.  we have a code -- the Four Way Test.  And it's true our roots are as a club for men, lending to that fraternity brother mystique.  But today's Rotary is anything but that ...

As a local club member of an international organization, we are part of the global scene and collectively, we are too big for anyone, including myself, to fully comprehend.  And we work quietly, diligently, not motivated by applause or glory.

We are a group of diverse professional people who care about community and find fellowship in one another's expertise, causes, careers and families. I am constantly impressed at the dedication, passion  and sacrifices of my Rotary colleagues.

Read on and you will see Rotarians are open hearted people who will not accept the tragedies of the world and need to do something about it.