Submitted by: Blaine Johnson, District Governor - Elect
 
For many years I took pride in being the youngest member of my Rotary Club.  At 27 my closest competition was 15 years my senior.  After holding the title for far too long, a young woman appeared at one of our club meetings and sought to join.  As a teacher new to the community she was not aware of the club’s scholarship program, its history of hosting Rotary Youth Exchange Students, or that it sponsored the community’s fine arts banquet; but she knew Rotary.  Her father was a Rotarian.  She grew up with Rotary.  She recounted seeing the Four Way Test displayed on his desk at work for all to see.  The Rotary values of service, integrity, goodwill and peace were instilled within her from a very young age.  Her story is one that I have taken to heart as a parent and as a Rotarian.  If I can pass the same Rotary values on to my own children, I will have made a difference.  More importantly, my children will have benefited and will be inspired to also make a difference in their own communities and the world.   
 
The future of Rotary depends upon us to identify our competition.  That competition isn’t the Lions Club, or the Optimists, or any of the other service organizations also vying for members.  Our competition is time and resources.   Lack of time and cost are the two primary reasons potential members give for not joining Rotary.  Our time is precious and our resources are limited.  As important as Rotary is to all of us, it competes with the time we would prefer to spend with families, the time we must spend at work, and time left over for life.
 
The age old adage “if you can’t beat them, join them” is applicable here.  The future of Rotary requires us to find ways in which Rotary can enhance, rather than detract from, spending time with those who are priorities to us.  Balancing work, family and Rotary is not an easy task.  Often sacrifices must be made.  I spent my very first Father’s Day in a parade riding in a convertible promoting Rotary as a club president.  I would not have sacrificed time with my son on Father’s Day no matter the cause so I rode through that parade with my son on my lap. We did it together, and I have discovered time after time that the rewards of sharing Rotary with family are immeasurable.  As Rotarians we should seek ways to share our Rotary values with successive generations.  Whether it be including them in service projects, attending club picnics, or bringing them to club meetings, doing it together is better.  Rotary is not just a place where Mom or Dad go every week for a meeting.  Together with my wife and I, our children have picked up trash, served meals to the needy, rang the bell for the Salvation Army, and attended District Conferences and the Zone Institute all in the name of Rotary.  When president of the Bismarck Club, my daughter was at most meetings.  At four years old she had better attendance than many of our members and knew the ROTARY song by heart.  More importantly, she was welcomed by the club members into the Rotary family and treated as one of their own.   When I have the opportunity to visit your clubs next year as District Governor, expect that at least one of our five children will be tagging along and hopefully you will bring your children as well.  Together is better.
 
It’s never too late.  Just last week the Bismarck Club inducted its newest member, Erik Sakariassen.  Erik joined after allegedly being asked countless times over the last 40 years by his sponsor.  He was sponsored by his father, Bob Sakariassen, and is now the third generation in his family to be a member of the Bismarck Rotary Club.  To put this in perspective, Bob is in his eighties and by the look on his face, was absolutely delighted to have his son join. 
 
Time is precious; don’t let it go to waste.  Take this opportunity to share Rotary with your family, and to share your family with Rotary.  Together is better.