Sunday Search: Getting Involved

I have always been a firm proponent of getting involved. I don’t simply join something to be a member. At the same time, I also believe that if you want to learn you have to be active and pursue that knowledge to the best of your ability. This is the mentality that I had when I joined Rotary, when I submitted my petition to my Masonic lodge, and when I first submitted my application to join the Sons of the American Revolution. This past week I continued to live up to those personal expectations when I left the office a little early so that I could make it to my chapter’s executive committee meeting.

I simply don’t understand how many people can join an organization and not have any understanding of how it works. This was the best opportunity for me to get involved right away and try to educate myself regarding the process that are in place, how the chapter works, and what the plans are for the future. By the end of the evening, the meeting had well exceeded my expectations and I now feel confident that I will have a fairly broad base of knowledge regarding the organization in the very near future… more than what I learned from the fire hose on Monday night.  

Additionally, my fellow compatriots were eager to educate me and help me to get involved right away. With so many positions open in the coming year, and now with a better understanding of the requirements for each, I volunteered to step in where needed (and so long as they are comfortable with me in that particular office). After all, we all have an understanding of the importance of our heritage and family history and by putting ourselves out there and being a part of something greater than ourselves, we add our own intricacies to that history.

Of course, given the nature of this organization in particular, it is even more important for me to be involved. We served to honor the memories of our ancestors and we must continue to be involved in uncovering as much as we can about their lives and do our best to discover other patriots in our family tree so that we can honor them in the same way. I guess you could say that I am already involved and this is only the most recent means by which I can continue to unravel some of the mysteries in our genealogical story.

Who Helps You Focus Your Efforts?

Every week, or nearly every week for some, Rotarians gather for their weekly Rotary meeting. Every day there is something that needs to be taken care of or addressed to keep the club running as smoothly as possible. Emails, phone calls, meetings, mailings, filings, promotions, etc. are all part of what keeps things going behind the scenes.

It is a constantly regenerating list that is without end and it is the officers that take charge of these tasks. It is a full time job that these people do without pay and they are duties that are, generally speaking, ones that no one enjoys doing. When was the last time you looked forward to stuffing envelopes? How many of you eagerly await emails that ask for everything under the sun and you have to be the one to consolidate the fundraising efforts into a concise message/focus?

Admittedly, I enjoy both to varying degrees, but I am also incredibly odd. Most of the people I talk to basically run in the opposite direction when they are asked to assist in one or both of these matters while the ones that agree to help do so begrudgingly. And of course there are the ones that ignore the request and, instead, add another item to the to do list (these are the people that insist that whatever it is needs to be taken care of as soon as possible).

Since when did volunteering with a community centric organization require a political background? Pork belly charity seems to be the name of the game and implementation without financial forethought can run rampant if left unchecked. With the demands placed on the clubs and on the people behind them, it is astounding that anything gets done. Don’t get me wrong, this is by no means a blanket statement and should not be taken as a deterrent to either those thinking about joining or those considering taking a leadership role as there are many clubs that run very smoothly and the members understands both the limitations and opportunities within which they must operate.

The purpose of this post is for those who are members and are proud of their affiliation to consider the bigger picture and not to just think about what you want to see your club accomplish but to consider the other factors at play. First and foremost, does the project address a need that exists in the community or is it simply something that you want to do? If a need can be established, follow up with the following questions and dig a little deeper. Does your club have the means to see the project through to the end both financially and with regard to the time commitment? Is the project the best use of the club’s time and finances?

Everyone has good ideas and the occasional great one but we can’t be everything to everyone. While it is hard to sometimes have to let go of an idea or project, it is something that needs to be done every once in a while in order to ensure that the greatest possible impact can be made with the resources at hand. This is not a foreign concept and I’m sure that this is not the first time that you have heard those questions but they are definitely worth repeating as they are frequently forgotten.

I have experienced the wide spectrum of how operations are handled as well as the expectations that members have of their club and the officers. While one is easier to deal with than the other, the motivation to contribute is not dependent on ease of operation. It all comes down to passion. If you maintain your passion to give back to the community, help others, and be a part of something greater than yourself you will put up with almost anything in order to see the impact that your club can have on those around you.

Remember that those who take on a larger role are people who want to see things get done. They are not there as a barrier, all they are trying to do is to make sure the proposals made are in the best interests of the membership, the club, and the community. If you can assist them in any small way I encourage you to do so. Whether it is by assisting with some of the aforementioned tasks, helping streamline a process or system, or general things here and there any and all support is appreciated. Or, if you are unable to do any of the above, take the time to thank them for their service.

This is why we put service above self. This is how we improve ourselves while we improve our community and why we take the good along with the not so good. It is just that simple.

Change Is Good

(L-R) Rotarian Sean Teaford and City Controller Candidate Terry Tracy at the Union League during a meeting of the Rotary Club of Philadelphia (Photo by Assistant District Governor Richard Trivane)

On Thursday, for the second day in a row I was off to a Rotary meeting. The reason for my Rotary double down was to hear the guest speaker presenting at the Rotary Club of Philadelphia. Not only was I interested in what he had to say I was also the one who introduced him to the opportunity earlier in the year.

In Rotary, as many of you know, we do our best to remain neutral when it comes to politics. This is a rule that I respect and abide by no matter what my views are on a particular subject. However, I fully support the discussion of ideas and the sharing of opinions as to the best solutions for problems that we face both in our club and in the community. It is for this reason that I set up the date for Terry Tracy to open up a dialogue with my fellow Rotarians over lunch at The Union League of Philadelphia.

I met Terry a number of months back at a Commonwealth Club event in center city and was immediately impressed with his reasonable views and how his background would offer a unique perspective to the position of Controller in the City of Brotherly Love. As Rotarians we all bring different abilities and talents to the table to serve each other and the community and I believe that we should look for those same traits in those running for office. His experience running retail stores throughout North America for major multinational fashion brands grants him with exceptional ability to view the city through a lens of global appeal and appreciation for the creative management necessary to spur growth in tough times.

  

I can hear some of you commenting now about neutrality and party politics. Rest assured, Terry abided by the 4 Way Test throughout his discussion.

It is the truth? He stuck to the facts and was completely honest in his background and opinions.  

Is it fair to all concerned? He did not venture into conjecture and made no mention of party politics.

Will it build good will and better friendships? In a time when partisan politics is running rampant, the meeting ended with complements from Rotarians across the political spectrum.  

Will it be beneficial to all concerned? Regardless of location, the race for controller is often overlooked. This brought focus to a position that has a great impact on the health of the city but regularly receives little attention. All benefited from the awareness of this important position.

Just because someone is in politics and/or is a member of one party or another, it doesn’t mean that neutrality can’t be achieved. Ones personal views will always color your perspective but it shouldn’t prevent us from seeing both sides of a political race or a discussion in general. In fact, you could be surprise by what you see. Who knows, maybe your opinion will change. Maybe change is something we need.

Overcoming Able Bodied Bias

As some of you may know I am currently serving as the Sergeant-at-Arms for The Rotary Club of Bala Cynwyd – Narberth. This post is the first in a series regarding the diverse presentations made at my local Rotary club. Occasionally, I will also write posts about the club that I happen to be visiting as well as any events or training that I attend.

This week we welcomed Michael Kelly who serves as volunteer coordinator at the Inglis House in Philadelphia. Our club has a long standing relationship with Inglis and we are proud of the partnership which has continuously strengthened over the years. With that said, we greatly appreciated Michael taking the time to reintroduce us to the services that Inglis provides to those in need and the inspiration that their programs provide to both participants and the community in general.

 

Founded in 1877, Inglis House is a specialty nursing care facility providing long-term, residential care for 297 adults with physical disabilities, including multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury and stroke, among others.  Residents receive rehabilitative medical and nursing care; physical, occupational and speech therapies; and a selection of more than 20 social enrichment and therapeutic recreation programs every day.

Inglis Community Based Services supports more than 800 people living independently in the community through resources including: accessible housing, care management (helping people navigate the health care system), a day program, an MS Evening program and community employment. Inglis is also the largest provider of affordable accessible housing in the Greater Philadelphia region with 208 housing units, and plans for 50 more units by 2015.

All Inglis services and programs are designed to enable people with physical disabilities to enjoy life with the greatest amount of independence and mobility.

It is important to note that Inglis provides services for people from all walks of life and with a wide variety and degree of disabilities all the while emphasizing and encouraging the amazing talents and abilities locked inside uncooperative bodies that are sometimes overlooked by the community.

I encourage you to consider donating your time, either on your own or through an organization such as Rotary, by assisting these amazing individuals in expressing the intelligence and passion that lies just beneath the surface. It will certainly change your perspective and make you appreciate the simple tasks that many of us take for granted. It might also lead you to question your own misconceptions and sever the connection between intelligence and physical ability. To set up an interview with Mike please feel free to call him directly at 215-581-0718. 

For those of you in the local Philadelphia area I welcome you to join us for lunch every Wednesday at 12:15 PM at Aldar Bistro located at 281 Montgomery Avenue in Bala Cynwyd. If you live outside the area or if the meeting time doesn’t work in your schedule I encourage you to find a local Rotary club and learn a little more about who we are and what we do.