July 2025

July 1, the start of a new Rotary year. Happy Canada Day to our Canadian Rotarians.

As I view the road ahead as the next Governor of our great district, I first want to thank Past District Governor Judy Zulfiqar, not only for her leadership of vision, creativity and thinking outside-of-the-box, but also for her friendship and her leadership, heavily seasoned with kindness, warmth and grace. Governor Judy has shown an unwavering dedication to our great District, and to Rotary International. She truly is an Inspiring Rotary Hero. Sir Isaac Newton is often attributed with the quote "if I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants". Thank you, Past District Governor Judy, for being one of those giants. 

I would also like to thank our other Past District Governors, many of whom are actively involved with numerous programs in our district, and some of whom are my mentors and counselors. Again, standing on the shoulders of these giants enables us to see the future.

Lastly, I would also like to thank our strong, unified District Governor line. District Governor-Elect Richard Lemire and District Governor-Nominee Brian Pellis are wonderful, stalwart members of our leadership team and lend their wise counsel to our decision-making. We are truly lucky to have a Governor Line which works together for the continued success of our district.

Having just attended our Rotary International Convention in Calgary, Canada last week, I am reminded of, and awed by, the immense power and scope of this beloved organization called Rotary, and why I became a Rotarian. I was invigorated by meeting Rotarians from around the world, all dedicated to leaving a lasting impact on their communities and our world. Our Rotary Foundation gives us the incredible power to achieve this impact, but the Foundation is something that is often unknown, misunderstood or underappreciated by some of our fellow Rotarians. We are dedicated to changing this and opening our minds to the Power of Rotary. We truly have the power in our hands to change the world, and it is we Rotarians, who need to Unleash the Power of Rotary. 

I became a Rotarian for one simple reason: someone asked me. That simple act of asking, however, a most powerful testament to our belief in this thing called Rotary, is so often not acted upon. We all know people who we respect and admire; people who we watch change our local communities every day, have an impact upon those around us and yet, for some reason, we do not share our love of Rotary with them and inform them how Rotary can help them have an even greater impact on their communities and ask them to join us. We are missing a crucial opportunity to truly expand our reach and increase our impact. This is why I talk about Unleashing the Power of You. You....me....we are the power of Rotary. Asking the right person to join you in Rotary, that one simple act, can move mountains. Remember, as we approach July 4th, one simple concept, We The People, the concept of an America, changed the arc of the continent, and the world. A simple action is powerful.

One of my favorite movies is a perennial Christmas classic called "It's A Wonderful Life". In this wonderful movie, Jimmy Stewart plays George Bailey, a promising young man with goals and dreams to leave his small town, see the world and have an impact. George, however, gave up all of those dreams and goals to stay in his hometown of Bedford Falls, New York after his father died, save his family's savings and loan company and ultimately help save his community. In a moment of despair, George Bailey, not seeing the impact of his life, wishes that he had never been born. With the help of his guardian angel, Clarence, he was shown life in Bedford Falls without his impact, a dark, desperate and dystopian place. Clarence then showed life in Bedford Falls because of George's life and because of the impact of his efforts. If you have seen the movie, you know how it turns out. If you have not seen the movie, please do so. This movie embodies the impact that we Rotarians have, and will continue to have, around the world. We each must remember why we became a Rotarian. We must recommit to these goals and ideals, and redouble our efforts to save our own Bedford Falls, and change the world. We must Unleash the Power of Rotary. 

I would like you to think about just one possible scenario. Perhaps as the result of your renewed commitment to your club and to Rotary, you and your club members focused on finding other community members like yourselves and invited them to become members. The new members brought a renewed energy and improved the engagement of all club members. This enabled your club to fund three additional young people to attend PRYDE, RYLA or perhaps our new Model United Nations program. Perhaps because of their attendance in our programs, one of the youths was able to realize they were not alone, that somebody heard them and understood their pain and what they were going through and because of that understanding, they did not follow through with a plan to take their life, seeing this as the only viable option to escape the horrors of mental, physical or sexual abuse. They were able to get the help that they needed to escape this nightmare, all because of you and Rotary. 

Perhaps another of these youths was inspired to believe that they could leave picking crops in the fields of the Coachella Valley and achieve their dreams because of their success in Math Day. Because of Rotary, they became the first in their family to graduate high school, go on to college and medical school and become an Oncologist, saving the life of one of your family members twenty-five years from now.

The last youth, because they attended one of our District programs, met one of our veteran members and attended one of our Fields of Honor, wants to give back to their adopted country. With the help of Rotarians, they were able to withstand the immense pressures to give in and conform to the gang life that surrounded them in the city, and instead attended West Point or Annapolis. They continue to stand guard as a senior ranking military officer at the Pentagon, protecting our republic and our democracy.

Because of Rotary, because you remembered why you became a Rotarian, because you asked someone to become a member and join you in your efforts to change your community, the world is a safer, better and more peaceful place - because of Rotary. Look within and Unleash the Power of Rotary by Unleashing the Power of You!!

I look forward to changing the world with you. It is truly an honor, which I humbly accept. There isn't anything that we cannot do as Rotarians, if we truly believe and work for it. District 5330, destiny awaits. Let us embrace our new Rotary year and work to save Bedford Falls..........................Nyron


Nyron McLean
District Governor 2025 - 2026
District 5330