The Rotarysburg Address
* Rotary World
Five score and three years
ago our four founders brought forth a new concept of service, conceived in
fellowship and dedicated to the propositions that all vocations have value,
that every individual is entitled to a measure of dignity.
Now we are engaged in a great struggle testing whether that
concept or any concept so dedicated can long endure. We are met at Redondo
Beach Rotary Club to review this struggle. We have come to celebrate our
victories and rededicate our commitment. It is altogether fitting and proper
that we do this.
But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate - we cannot
celebrate; that is for the blind who see, the deaf and the mute who hear and
speak, the ill made well, the lame that walk, the misery vanquished, the
friendships made, and the poor who have been given hope where before there was
none - these events and countless others celebrate and consecrate THE SERVICE
ABOVE SELF so unselfishly proffered.
The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here,
but it can never forget what we do here. It is for us Rotarians, rather, to be
motivated here to our mission.
It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task
emaining before us - that from our honored deeds we take increased devotion to
that cause for which all people thirst and hunger - true, lasting world peace
and understanding - that we here highly resolve that our past deeds not die in
vain, and that our service, under God, shall have continued vision, and that
service of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from
our hearts.