Dear Fellow Rotarians:

    In every organization there is always a struggle.  The internal elements that make the organization grow and succeed collide, over time, with the realities of a changing external environment.
 
    Technology, population growth, competing alternatives and economic upheavals present situations where choices must be made.  A kind of paralysis seems, at times, to be the right reaction.  “Do nothing,” “Continue as before,” “Maintain the status quo,” and everything will be alright!  Not so!

    Those of us who have the benefit of hindsight in other organizations know that difficult choices must be made to expand and execute the mission of the enterprise.

    In Rotary, as well, difficult challenges presented by changing environments were faced many times in the past.  Should we expand to other cities?  Should we allow more clubs in the same town?  Should women be allowed to join?

    In our 106 years history the list is quite large.  But Rotarians of years past made these choices and many more and found new ways for Rotary to grow and thrive.  They embraced changes, they sought new ways, they came up with new ideas, and we inherited an organization we are all proud to belong to and it is an example for the whole world.

    Now it is our turn.  We must try new ways without fear of failure.  We risk being called revolutionaries, reformers, reactionaries, or even irreverent, but years from now other Rotarians will look back and say:  “Those Rotarians tried, and some failed, but thanks to their creative initiatives we started to grow again.”

    I challenge all of us, myself included, to find new projects, new programs, new fundraisers, new members and new ways to serve above self.  Let future generations say that in the Rotary year of 2011-2012, Rotarians reached within to embrace humanity in new ways and they succeeded.

    Yours in Rotary Service,

    Respectfully,
    DG Carlos