D-2483 DG's Newsletter Special Edition 2016

DG Velibor ZOLAK GOVERNOR'S NEWSLETTER SPECIAL ISSUE Dear Rotarians and Rotaractors, A Great Orchestra OFF-KEY PERFORMANCE! For already 38 days straight, a man with the will of steel has been running, a man with a disability, with only five-percent vision in one eye! He is running for the people in need, motivated by the deepest humanitarianism. He is followed by the whole Serbian public, even the leading national television channels are covering Goran’s feat and never has the Rotary been present in such a public spotlight in this corner of the earth in its entire history. In a positive sense! This man, Goran Nikolic, is performing this unprecedented feat thanks to our support, the support of the Rotary District 2483, thanks to our clubs hosting him in every city. The benefits for us are great: we are building a positive public image of the Rotary on the one hand, and raising public and moral awareness that the community must help the sick, the poor, the weak, the disabled on the other. Thanks to this project, we are accomplishing the mission that justifies our purpose! The clubs are not paying money for this action, they take no financial or material responsibilities, all they give is only good will! Good will to organize a welcome reception and the police escort, invite the press, provide food and accommodation if needed for a tiny supporting crew. They invest their voluntary work. They do the work they are here to do – serve the community, serve the humanity. I discussed our District action the day before yesterday in Thessaloniki with our Director, Corneliu Dinca, who proposed that we include “Marathon for Guinness – 55 marathons in 55 days” among the projects commemorating the 110th anniversary of the Rotary Foundation, and apply for the best project! Velibor Zolak District Governor D2483 Montenegro & Serbia

However, one club, or more precisely its board, seems to have forgotten the main principle of our Page2 movement: ‘Service above Self’, and failed to come to assistance to this man in his efforts to achieve the goals the whole District and the citizens of both countries are looking forward to see. It did not want to take the responsibility to welcome this world-class marathon runner in its city because of, as they put it, the lack of funding! I must admit I had a dilemma whether or not to inform you about this fact but I definitely have no right to hide this ‘off-key performance’! I wonder what reasons the Board of this club was governed by when making this decision. No financial support had been sought and it was not necessary to undertake any financial commitments. Does this Board share the same values as the rest of us, the values requiring us to help others, which are built into the very foundations of the Rotary movement? I would like to ask the Board of this club to evaluate its decision (not to host the man who is welcome in every corner of the District and unanimously supported by the whole District 2483) using the four-way test of the things we think, say or do. It should answer: 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?

I believe, dear Rotarians and Rotaractors, that should Goran succeed, so shall our District, and one off- key performance will not spoil the feeling of pride all Rotarians of Serbia and Montenegro have! And if Goran does not run the full 55 days and does not set the world record, which is something we believe in with all our hearts, nothing will really change – the huge benefit resulting from the previous 38 days will remain. In any case, one off-key performance cannot spoil a good composition! Budva, 10 October 2016 Yours in Rotary, Velibor Zolak 2483 District Governor Page3