Preparation for this new Rotary year started in January of this year when, together with 530 incoming District Governors from all over the world, I attended the Rotary International Assembly in San Diego.
Our incoming RI President, D. K. Lee, has clearly stated that the Rotary Emphases will remain unchanged. They are Water, Health & Hunger, Literacy and the Family of Rotary.
When choosing our service projects, we do our best to work in ways that will have the most positive, and most lasting, impact. But to ensure a better world for many generations, we must begin by taking care of our youngest generation, 
the precious resource of every community.
Every child deserves the chance of a healthy life. Unfortunately, everyday, some 30,000 children under the age of five die from preventable causes. When somebody hears of this statistic, he or she can be forgiven for thinking that the number was an error. Unfortunately, it was not. Everyday, around the world, children die needlessly of pneumonia, measles and malaria. Thousands die everyday from lack of the most basic resource: water. And many more die from a combination of factors, in which malnutrition and poverty play major roles.
This is why the RI theme for 2008-09 is "Make Dreams Real". Food and water, health care and schooling, the chance of long and full life – this is the unrealised dream of too many children. President Elect D. K. Lee asks us to Make Dreams Real for these children and their families, and to work together towards the Rotary dream of a happier, healthier and more peaceful world.
Dreams are essential part of any achievement process. When we want to achieve something major, especially working in an unfamiliar environment, it is sometimes difficult to decide what to do first. Here an appropriate place to start is to "Begin with the end in mind". In other words, you think of what you want to achieve and then carry out the necessary work required to achieve the goal. Sounds fairly simple.
Please allow me to take you through a journey over the next Rotary year. In other words, let’s explore our Rotary Dreams and see what the Rotarians of this district are possibly achieving during the next Rotary year.
We see Rotarians working on many projects to provide service. Clubs are working together and are able to do bigger projects with greater reach.
They are also working in partnership with Leonard Cheshire International to convert a school so that disabled children can study. This project has not cost individual clubs much (£200 to £300), as they have made full use of Matching Grants from the Rotary Foundation.
The district also organises a successful Disability Games, similar to the one organised at Cleethorpes Leisure Centre in April 2008. However, I see more clubs taking part from all over the district.
Youth Opportunities – We see Rotarians fully recognising that youth is our future and that we need to be involved in activities which will develop them into good citizens and leaders. We see clubs organising RYLA, Youth Speaks, Night Pilot, Young Chef and other youth activities.
Rotary Foundation – Here we see that all the Rotarians of our district getting fully informed of all the good work carried through our own charity, The Rotary Foundation. They are all aware of the various programmes like: Matching Grants, District Simplified Grants, 3-H Grants, Ambassadorial Scholars, Peace Fellowship, GSE, Rotary Volunteers, to name a few.
They are also aware that they can get back the money contributed to Rotary Foundation in 3 years time in the form of District Designated Fund (DDF) and matching funds to carry out many useful projects. Clubs contribute willingly and achieve the £50 per member target.
Individual members take advantage of tax relief and undertake to contribute £1 per week to become Sustaining Members of the Rotary Foundation.
There was a chance that the Rotarians would become weary and show signs of fatigue to support the eradication of polio from the remaining 4 countries of the world. After all they had put in enormous efforts to help this cause many times since the project was launched in the 80s. However, they are encouraged by the success of the campaign. Polio cases have been reduced by 99%. Instead of over 350,000 cases per year (around 1000 cases per day), there are only a few hundred cases every year. Polio remains endemic in the war torn regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan, in Northern India and in Nigeria where people have been subjected to misinformation. Of the 3 types of polio virus, Type 2 has been eradicated. Type 3 is pretty much in control. It is Type 1 which needs to be eradicated and the number of cases is falling. Rotarians find that there is evidence of strong political will in these countries to get the job complete. The end of polio looks a real possibility. Rotarians decide not just to dig deep into their pockets but to involve the public. They organise various fund raising events on the week-end of 16-17 August. In this way they not only raise funds but also inform the public about the work of Rotary in the eradication of polio.
GSE - I see the district having a very successful GSE with Philippines. This is because preparation and promotion work starts early. Target employers are provided with adequate information about the benefits they would gain by allowing their young employees to go on a GSE. As a result there are many applicants for the team positions.
Environment Protection - Rotarians recognise that like everybody else in the world, they have a role to play to reduce the ill effects of climate change. They take the opportunity to support the Sheffield Rotary Club project called "CO2 Offset Trust". Contributions are made to the trust based on peoples’ carbon foot print and the money is used in projects which reduce CO2 like tree plantation and providing Solar Cookers.
Public Relations – I see Rotarians effectively promoting their service activities in newspapers, radio and television. They also make good use of our District Website.
Membership – Here the Rotarians have been exposed to the nightmare of the possibility of the end of Rotary in these islands because of declining membership. After watching the decline of membership year after year, Rotarians decide to take action to reverse the trend. Clubs make substantial efforts to implement comprehensive recruitment and retention plan. As a result membership increases substantially and the membership reflects the diversity of our communities.
The Rotarians also work together to start new clubs with practices to attract younger members.
Untitled – Throughout the year, I see Rotarians question the limits which are largely self-imposed. They are questioning the expression, "we have always done it this way" and find that there are cases where things can be done in a better way. They are willing to think big and willing to break the previously set limits.
All these may sound like a dream but I am confident that, if we work together, we are capable of achieving all these and more. This is our year to make a difference. This is our time to make the world a better place. Let’s go and do it.
Make Dreams Real – Let’s make all our Rotary Dreams Real.
