It’s December 23, 2022 now, 8:43 in the evening, raining and streets are rushing for last-minute shopping and I am here in my room, writing down what’s in my mind while enjoying the moment of being alone and trying to look back how on Earth I made it in 6 years now joining in a club represented by a gear logo. Sweet melodies are just around but sweet moments of community service, volunteer work, and fellowship are deep in my heart. This is the story of a dreamer who is a true-blooded Rotary in Action. Read on.
There is no definite reason why I love volunteering, but deep inside I find self-worth every time I had to be of service to the world, more than a diamond, it’s priceless. Exactly six years ago, I was invited by a good friend to join Rotary since he noticed me that I am an active student-leader back at Bacolod City College. I never had any doubts joining because even before I truly manifested that after college there will be a new home that is ready to open its doors for me so that I can continue my humanitarian work as a community worker and advocate for social causes. True enough, a home that is worth living and sustainable- I lived in Rotary’s world of never-ending Goals, Energy, Aspirations, and Relationship. Indeed, never-ending GEAR.
G-O-A-L-S. In my six years of service at Rotary, I met different people with different cultures and traditions. Each program and activity that my whole team organized was always plan ahead of time. We see goals, we set goals. For one instance, last 2021 the Philippines was hit by a devastating Typhoon Odette that lost millions of income in different sectors. Many lives were coated by mud, a peaceful night that turned into a perfect nightmare. A few weeks after the disaster, we respond to the call and mimic cries and worries. My team planned to extend help in Sipalay City, one of the highly affected places in the province of Negros Occidental. We put goals as our success indicators but it is not just about the goals of the “Project Agapay” and the main goal is to give utmost support including food, toiletries, and other essential stuff. More than the goal of delivering goods is the goal to somehow give hope in their drowning lives.
Energy is defined as “the strength and vitality required for sustained physical or mental activity”. In Rotary we associate energy with never-ending happiness, happiness in doing fellowship, and happiness in doing charity works knowing that we can be of help to our fellow citizens, to our environment, and to our beloved Fatherland. Energy means doing the task with compassion and enthusiasm. Imagine leaving the city early as 5 in the morning and arriving at 10 am in one of the highly affected areas in the Southern part of Negros Occidental. The energy we set must be doubled although there is stress and we never let our anchor give up. In Rotary, the aim to help is the energy that gives us strength.
Aspirations are what my force of action is always inspired by. In my quest to Rotary I have to realize such an amazing way to help and further amplify the voice that I developed in many years of joint success and failures. I am ambitious but I am a visionary. At every Rotary events, I take chance to at least share the world with my fellow, with different walks and customs I share the existence of nothing to our world of something. My ambition for the world is big, I dream of having my foundation and through Rotary I am guided to make it happen. I aspire to become a lead founder of amazing charity works that enables you and me, Rotary is my real army.
Commotions and friendly discussions made each club alive. In my club, we keep meetings goal-oriented meeting so that we can come up with feasible and doable projects or programs. Our ‘Relationship’ in the club remains professional but we value our “Rotary Family Ties”. Simply, my vision of the world is the same in Rotary, we will work together as one gear, same vision, same goals; no but’s, no ifs.
Now, I have come to a point to do what I promised to do, I will still discover the other parts of Rotary’s world of never-ending.
“As bright as the sun, rotary in action volunteers on ground” | Photo taken during our volunteer work in Sipalay City, few days after the hit of Typhoon Odette
“Teeth-cher rotaractor in action” | Photo taken during our Medical Dental Mission in Barangay Bata, Bacolod City
