There's a moment in every Rotarian's life when service stops being something you do and becomes something you are. For me, that moment has roots stretching back nearly half a century.
You could say my preparation for this role started 47 years ago --- not 37 when I joined the Westford Rotary Club --- but when I went to a Rotary meeting as a student of the month and was told I couldn't join because I was a woman. I'm here today as your incoming District Governor because a woman named Sylvia Whitlock sued Rotary International for the right to membership, a case that traveled all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. I mention it not to be political, but because it shows that one person can make a huge difference. Can you imagine a Rotary without women?
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What Keeps Me Here
After 37 years of membership, I know exactly what holds Rotarians together: service, friendship, and the quiet, enduring benefits of belonging to something larger than yourself. It's a simple answer — and a profound one.
My goals for the year ahead center on peace and conflict resolution. I won't pretend I have all the answers. Do I have the solution for world peace? No. But when people have the basics of what they need, they are happier — and there is less conflict. Everything you do as a Rotary member helps with that goal.
I'm challenging every club across D7910 to take concrete steps toward peacebuilding: exploring Rotarian Action Groups for Peace (RAGFP), establishing peace-building clubs, planting peace poles, and helping me launch a RAGFP chapter right here in our district.
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Our Secret Weapon: The Rotary Foundation
One of the most powerful tools available to us is one we sometimes take for granted. The Rotary Foundation — launched in 1917 with a humble donation of just $26.50 — has grown into, in my view, the best-run charitable foundation on the planet. I've been involved with many nonprofits over the years, and I don't say that lightly.
The numbers speak for themselves: top ratings from Charity Navigator for 18 consecutive years, recognition as one of the top five charities globally, and more than $1 million in grants distributed every single day across Rotary's seven areas of focus.
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A Changing Rotary — and Why That's a Good Thing
I just returned from the Rotary International Convention, and I brought home a renewed sense of energy and purpose. Our new RI President, Yinka Babalola — the first RI President ever from the African continent — spoke about a changing Rotary, and his message moved me deeply. My husband Jeff, who has been a wonderful supporter of my Rotary journey, told me it was the best message he has ever heard from a Rotary leader. The message was about why you are a Rotarian and how service as a Rotarian changes, your family and friends for the better. You become a real Rotarian when Service is not what you do, but who you are. I can say as I reflect on my Rotary journey, service has become not only who I am, but who my family is. My oldest commits to service to the LGBTQ community running events and supporting that cause. My youngest was born into Rotary because I was President the year she was born. She shares the passion for service above self. I urge you to consider that as you attend any meeting, talk to people about Rotary and bring others in your circle into Rotary. Yinka’s message was a powerful message and can really change the ""Why Rotary"" discussion as we strive to increase membership.
Membership is declining in the Americas and Europe, but it is growing rapidly in Africa and Asia. The future of Rotary will look different. And rather than fearing that, I say: embrace it. If I have learned one thing over 37 years, it's that change is inevitable. Embrace the change in Rotary and use it to make Rotary and your club better.
President Babalola's call to action this year is to Create Lasting Impact — and it resonates deeply with my own vision. In Rotary, we give members a place to belong. We help keep students in school. We organize vaccination campaigns that protect children. These results are real and they matter deeply. But to create lasting impact asks a harder question: What happens next? We turn friendships into lifelong bonds. We help each other change for the better. And we measure not just what we did, but whether that change will endure.
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The Wisdom of Words
At the convention, I was moved by a story shared by Rotarian Foteini Papadimou of Greece. She told us how, during difficult times, her mother would remind her:
Woe has three letters — but so does joy.
Hate has four — but so does love.
Lying has five — but so does truth.
Enemies has six — but so does friends.
Failure has seven — but so does success.
Negativity has eight — but so does positivity.
I think her mother was a very wise woman. When you think about peace, think about how you frame the conversation around those 12 words — and choose, always, the brighter one.
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A Call to Action
As we work together to make the world a better place, I want to leave you with this:
It is not about giving people strength — but removing the silence that hides it. Together, we can unite for good to create lasting impact.
The journey of 47 years has brought me here. The journey of the next year begins now — and I'm honored to take it with all of you.