PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
June is Rotary Fellowship Month.
Officially, Rotary uses the term to describe the many international fellowship groups that bring together Rotarians with shared interests. These include fellowships for cyclists, sailors, wine enthusiasts, jazz lovers, railway enthusiasts and cricketers. In our club, David McNamara is a member of the International Fellowship of Cricket-Loving Rotarians. These groups provide opportunities for friendship and connection that extend beyond clubs, districts and even national borders.
However, I suspect that when most of us use the word fellowship, we mean something different.
It was reported in a copy of the Networker from when I was last President in 2017 that, when Dennis Shore was District Governor, he compiled a list of words associated with fellowship. They included friendship, rapport, trust, empathy, solidarity, reciprocity and belonging. These words do not describe a program or an activity. They describe relationships and the quality of the connection between people.
There is an old saying in Rotary that people join to make a difference, but stay because of the fellowship. There is a good reason for this. Human beings are social creatures. Psychological research has found that strong social connections are linked to greater well-being, resilience and life satisfaction, while loneliness and social isolation are increasingly recognised as significant contributors to poor mental and physical health.
Over the past year, members have often come to me after meetings and said, “That was a good meeting,” or “Another good meeting today.” I always appreciate these comments, but I have never quizzed the individual about what exactly it is that they found ‘good. I suspect that sometimes it was the speaker. Sometimes it was the topic. But I’d be willing to bet that often the fellowship was a significant contributor.
As I come to the end of my year as President, that observation seems even more significant. Looking back over the year, I remember projects, meetings and decisions. But I also remember the people. I remember the shared work, the humour, the encouragement and members’ willingness to support one another. These things give a club its character and strength.
Perhaps that is why fellowship matters so much. It is not merely a pleasant addition to Rotary’s work. It helps foster a sense of belonging that encourages people to stay involved, contribute their skills and continue serving their communities. Service may be Rotary’s purpose, but fellowship is one of the things that sustains it.