I’ve been volunteering with Rotary ever since I was a kid. Well, since I was 18. Originally, I joined for my own selfish reasons. I wanted to meet new people and find a girlfriend. I didn’t join because of some great desire to help change the world. I hadn’t had much experience with that at the time. But I soon realized what a difference I was making.

The fulfillment I get out of Rotary is knowing I have done something to help improve someone else’s life. I think wanting to make a difference in the world is one of the most important virtues a person can develop.

I’m inspired by the people I meet in Rotary, the passion they pour into their roles, and the results they get. These people live, eat, and breathe the culture of the organization. And this is rewarded by the huge amount of goodwill and support that Rotary receives.

It’s also about the fun. “Fun is good,” said Dr. Seuss. So I put my own unique perspective on the Service above Self mantra by trying to inject liveliness in all our club’s volunteering efforts. If we didn’t enjoy our Rotary service, we wouldn’t turn up!

I enjoy making a contribution to my community, and I enjoy the fun I can have in Rotary. It gets me out of my own circle. I meet people from all walks of life, and basically feel like, “It doesn’t matter where you come from, we’re all equal as Rotarians.” Our world today is fast-paced, and it’s easy to forget how important it is to build community and have fun. If everyone in the world made an effort every day to have a positive impact on someone’s life, especially people they don’t know, the world would be a vastly better place.

I guess it’s kind of ingrained in me by now. That’s part of the reason why I joined Rotary and stayed with it for 20 years. How does Rotary fulfill your need for service and fun?

Article by Evan Burrell