Please allow me to formally introduce myself. My name is John Adam Caran. I’m a member of Lake Ozark Daybreak Rotary. I was privileged to be our President in 2008-2009. I am your new District Membership Director, as well as Assistant Governor for the four clubs surrounding the Lake of the Ozarks. These responsibilities keep me busy, but I wouldn’t trade them for anything. I am humbled and excited about my new responsibilities as your Membership Director. We have an exciting year of growth in front of us. During my service as club President, we nearly doubled the size of our club…and the good news is, the process couldn’t have been easier! Even better…the process continues to reap consistent rewards for our club.
Happy New Year to everyone in our District…from Centralia to Mammoth Spring/Thayer, and from Warrensburg to Salem…and all clubs in between. Every time I mention those boundaries, I’m reminded of the significant responsibility our District shoulders. Rotary clubs are typically the go-to organization in our communities when it comes to helping our neighbors in need. Now, take that position and add it to the boundaries I just mentioned. This makes us the service clubs that communities far and wide look to for assistance and support. That is an amazing responsibility…one we should never take likely.
When I think of membership, I always think of service first. Allow me to use my local club as an example. The Lake of the Ozarks is known for its affluent population, and for its lavish lifestyles. Some of the wealthiest people in mid-America own multi-million dollar, second homes here. As a result, the full time residents of the Lake are also very fortunate. We’re a community of ‘haves’, but also of ‘have not’s. The reality is there is a significant population that does not know where their next full meal comes from, where they’ll permanently reside, or where their child’s next pair of shoes will come from. It goes on, and on. At the Lake of the Ozarks, the need continues to grow every year. Our club currently assists over 40 groups and organizations with funding to help them serve our neighbors in need. We fully realize to keep pace with the need; we have to have a greater effort every year…just to keep pace!
Do you see where I’m going with this? It’s not about “membership”; it’s about meeting the ever growing needs of helping our neighbors…locally, and internationally. This is the “Service” part of ‘Service Above Self’. My philosophy isn’t about traditional membership drives; it’s about finding great people (new members) that will help us meet the needs of our communities. I’ll share the details of how to do this in the February newsletter. Until then, create a short list of five business people that you admire…people of high character and integrity. That’s an easy assignment for our February conversation. I’ll see you right here, next month.
Yours in Rotary Service,
John Adam Careen
[email protected]
573-473-7033 (cell & text)