Opinion: Honoring Rotary service
You may have seen a few weeks ago, that three of our long time Tribune employees, myself included, were honored by the Madera Rotary Club with its Paul Harris Fellow award.
Tyler Takeda, Wendy Alexander and I were recognized for our community service by promoting and supporting the positive aspects of life in Madera through our work at The Madera Tribune.
The Paul Harris Fellow program is considered one of the service club’s most cherished honors. All Rotarians strive to maintain high moral standards. One example of their practices is adhering to the Rotary Four-Way Test.
According to Rotary’s online presence “The Four-Way Test for the things its members think, say or do is a method used by Rotarians worldwide. It is their moral code for both personal and business relationships. The test can be applied to almost any aspect of life.”
Devised by Herbert J. Taylor of Chicago as he set out to save the Club Aluminum Products Distribution Company from bankruptcy. It was later adopted by Rotary International, the global federation of Rotary service clubs,” according to its website.
The Rotary Four-Way Test asks: Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
This is the way Rotarians conduct their lives.
Since receiving the Harris award, I am trying to attain this practice in my own life.
Telling the truth, being fair, building goodwill and benefiting all concerned is in many ways the foundation of living by the Golden Rule. That and the 10 Commandants we were taught to us in Sunday School. Madera has many good people who volunteer their time through service clubs.
Supporting the most vulnerable of our population, seniors, children and the homeless. Also, the unemployed, veterans, domestic abuse survivors and victims’ rights benefit from their support.
They honor our first responders and the medical professionals, who put their lives in harm’s way to render aid in dangerous situations.
Instead of just a day, week or month dedicated to honoring their service, Rotary Clubs support with funding and hands-on volunteers, year-round.
Rotary programs support military service members who put their lives on the line to protect our way of life. These Rotary plans raise funds that help our soldiers, sailors and Marines ease their way back into civilian life.
The physical and mental aspects of being in the armed forces, affect the loved ones of military personnel too. Families have their lives altered by service-related difficulties. The emotions experienced when service members are far from home cause anxiety in their families.
Not wanting to sound crude, but many clubs are content to throw money at the problems of the world.
Rotarians roll up their sleeves, get their hands dirty and travel to difficult and harsh areas working with countries around the globe.
International assistance from members in 23 countries is devoted to creating a better world. Service above self helps the membership accomplish the desperately needed aid both at home and abroad. Third-world countries benefit from water and sanitation facilities provided by Rotarians. Food, shoes and clothes are in short supply in too many places.
Since you never know how much good can be accomplished until you try, Rotary excels at building up not just people in this country but those all across the globe.
Long days and pleasant nights have a great weekend.
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Readers may contact Tami Jo Nix by emailing tamijonix@gmail.com or following @TamiJoNix on Twitter.
