Dear fellow Rotarians,

A person joins a Rotary club as a proud representative of his business or profession.

Hence, each club member has an obligation to represent his vocation to his fellow Rotarians and exemplify the spirit of Rotary in the workplace. These twin responsibilities form the foundation of Vocational Service.

Over the years, Rotarians have struggled to give a voice to Vocational Service, Rotary's second Avenue of Service, because it can be so hard to define. In order to focus more on this important aspect of service, the R.I. Board established Vocational Service Month during October.

As we begin our second century of service, this avenue is more important than ever to ensure high ethical standards. Since the beginning of our organisation, Rotarians discouraged deceptive business practices and restored public trust.

As leaders of their communities and businesses, Rotarians earned the respect of the public and their professional
colleagues. With the recent increase of business scandals and questionable transactions over the Internet, Rotarians can offer services that the public can trust.

Ethics is so important in everything we do, particularly in business.
It is time that we all seriously adopt The Four-Way Test.
1 – Is it the truth?
2 – Is it fair to all concerned?
3 – Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
4 – Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

If we read these four questions carefully, we soon realise that every element we need for success is right there!
Vocational service is also a good way to assist young people in learning about future careers. Students can learn more about specific careers and professions through interviews or "job shadowing." Rotary clubs can contact their chambers of commerce and local companies to set up employee training, literacy training, employment counseling, résumé preparation, and other services to meet vocational needs.

In many countries, we are seeing increased rates of youth unemployment. It is very demoralising to wake up without the prospect of a job.

This may lead to poor self-image, despair, even criminal behaviour.

Rotarians have the means and the ability to provide young people with jobs and an easier start in life.

We can inform, we can educate, we can offer training.

As community leaders, we already have what is most important – the connections needed for initiatives with other groups and organisations.

Through our many youth programs, we can take a lead in vocational service. The youth are our future, and vocational service is the key to a better foundation that will benefit all of us.

Vocational Service can help others gain a better life, a better standard and a better world.

What a wonderful way to fulfill our motto of Service Above Self!

Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar
President, Rotary International

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL WORLD HEADQUARTERS
One Rotary Centre, 1560 Sherman Ave, Evanston, Illinois, 60201, U.S.
Telephone: 847 866 3000. Fax: 847 328 8554.

General officers of R.I. for 2005-06
President, Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar, Göteborg, Sweden; President-elect, William B. Boyd, Pakuranga, N.Z.; Vice-president, Serge Gouteyron, Denain-Bouchain, France; Treasurer, Jocelyn I. Bolante, Parañaque South, Philippines; Anthony F. de St. Dalmas, Southgate, England; Frank N. Goldberg, Omaha-Suburban, Neb., U.S.A.; Jerry L. Hall, Reno, Nev., U.S.A.; Horst Heiner Hellge, Hamburg-Blankenese, Germany; Sölve Kernell, Kalmar, Sweden; Kwang Tae Kim, Seoul Gwanag, Korea; David Linett, Somerville and Bridgewater, N.J., U.S.A.; Yoshikazu Minamisono, Hofu, Japan; G. Kenneth Morgan, Chapel Hill, N.C., U.S.A.; Noraseth Pathmanand, Bangrak, Thailand; José Antonio Salazar Cruz, Bogotá Occidente, Colombia; Masanobu Shigeta, Takasaki North, Japan; Carlos Enrique Speroni, Temperly, Argentina; Robert A. Stuart Jr., Springfield, Ill., U.S.A.; Rodger W. Wagner, Scottsdale, Ariz., U.S.A. The death on May 29, 2005, of Rodger W. Wagner, who was elected to the board, is noted with sorrow. His replacement is David J. Hossler, Yuma Sunrise, Ariz., U.S.A. General Secretary: Edwin H. Futa, East Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.A.

Rotary International South Pacific and Philippines
McNamara Centre, Level 2, 100-108 George Street, Parramatta, N.S.W., 2150 or P.O. Box 1415, Parramatta, N.S.W. 2124. Telephone: (02) 9635 3537. Fax (02)9689 3169. Office hours: Monday to Friday 8.30a.m. to 5.00p.m. (Closed public holidays). I.O. Manager, John Tucker (email: tuckerj@rotaryintl.org); Admin. Supervisor, Leanne MacKenzie; Reception, Literature Clerk, Michelle Fuller; Club and District Administration: Supervisor, Tony Quinn (email: quinna@rotaryintl.org); CDA Co-ordinator, Dele Riley; CDA Correspondent, Sherrine de Silva. Finance: Supervisor, Sean Kehoe (email: kehoes@rotaryintl.org); Finance Co-ordinators, John Jiang and Wendy Tran; Assistant, Gaye Small. The Rotary Foundation: Supervisor, Terry Davies (email: daviest@rotaryintl.org); TRF Co-ordinator, Katherine Dabich. TRF Assistant: Kate Wells. Rotary International’s Internet address: www.rotary.org.

Rotary Down Under – The Council
R.I. Past Director John Thorne, District Governors Bill Benbow (D9450), Peter Brown (D9460), Phil Cordery (D9470), Colin Thorn (D9500), Arthur Manser (D9520), Peter Kaye (D9550), Kevin Hickey (D9570), Charles Guesdon (D9600), Ailsa Hay (D9630), John Tregurtha (D9640), Jane Bradford (D9650), Donald Whatham (D9670), Greg Muldoon (D9680), Bill Little (D9690), David Roberts (D9700), Noel Trevaskis (D9710), Patrick Roberts (D9750), Wayne Barrett (D9780), David Yap (D9790), John Wigley (D9800), Philip Hedley (D9810), Ray Stewart (D9820), Paul Grubb (D9830), Graeme Bellingham (D9910), Colin Nicholas (D9920), Brian Revell (D9930), Rodney Wong (D9940), Kelvin Cordes (D9970), Martyn Jensen (D9980).

The Committee
Past District Governor Peter Williams (chairman), R.I. PastDirector John Thorne, R.I. Director Jocelyn Bolante (co-opted), Past District Governors Paul Gillett, Vance Hilton, Colin Thorniley, Terry Edwards, Stuart Heal and Bob Aitken (secretary) and Rotarian Barry Antees (general manager).

The New Zealand Rotary Down Under Promotional Committee
Stuart Heal (chairman), R.I. Past Director Grattan O’Connell, Past District Governors Charles Wilson, John Rennie, Fergus Cumming and Allan Birrell and Rotarian Rex Morris.