April-May 2023 | Regulars

Garth Arnold – Rotary GB&I Chair of the Board Column

Garth Arnold – Rotary GB&I Chair of the Board Column

In his column, Garth Arnold highlights the aspects the parts of Rotary that have always made him feel proud to be part of the organisation.

We are now eight months into the Rotary year and I was thinking of some practical aspects of our lovely organisation which I could reference.

I have been in Rotary for nearly 30 years and have always been keen to pick out golden nuggets which really make me feel proud and really hit home as to what Rotary can do.

My kids are now 21 and 19. I can remember when they were no size bringing them to Rotary Ireland District Conferences.

The conference teams were extremely supportive of us bringing Grace and Ross and looked forward to seeing them every year. They would be very good, sitting in the audience and listening to the speakers.

One really does not think any more about it. Each year goes by, they get into their teens and are not so comfortable coming along saying “not cool Daddy”.

My daughter is now a third-year medical student at Queens University Belfast, looking to do a Master’s degree in Global and International Health next year.

I could just imagine her having the conversation and being knowledgeable about polio from her years being associated with Rotary.”

She shared with me her personal statement as part of the application process and I was totally blown away by the references to Rotary in what she had been exposed to, the work we do, our seven areas of focus and, of course, our work with polio eradication.

If that was not enough, I can remember getting a recent call out of the blue from Grace. As parents, we know it is usually wanting something, nothing about how are you?

Anyway, on this occasion Grace was buzzing from being in the hospital ward and having had a long chat with a patient who has polio and was being treated after a fall.

I could just imagine her having the conversation and being knowledgeable about polio from her years being associated with Rotary.

If Grace does get accepted for her one-year Master’s course it will mean going to one of six partner universities in Thailand, India, Canada, Colombia, Sudan and Norway for the last part of the course.

I am sure we all have golden nuggets and it is through communicating our stories that we are able to cross boundaries and connect people from which membership opportunities develop.

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