RI President June Message

R. Gordon R. McInally
President 2023-24

It’s customary for a Rotary president in the final month in office to recap the past year on this page, and I am proud of all we have achieved together. But I want to focus on our future, and that begins with polio.

We have reached an astonishing 3 billion children with the polio vaccine, and we have averted an estimated 20 million cases of paralysis. But it’s not enough. We must continue supporting the End Polio Now campaign to reach zero cases and keep our promise to the world’s children.

Polio is not our only global commitment. In fact, Rotary has been working toward global peace even longer. Spreading Positive Peace through service projects and Rotary Peace Centers around the world is more important than ever.

We must also continue to build peace from within, and that begins with supporting mental health and wellness among our fellow Rotary members and the communities we serve. Rotary has an opportunity to help build a global mental health system that currently does not exist, and I urge all members to consider joining the Rotary Action Group on Mental Health Initiatives to keep up the momentum we began this year.

It’s been the honor of a lifetime to serve as your president. You have given Heather and me memories we will cherish forever. I look forward to our continued friendship and our collective commitment to Create Hope in the World.