CURRENT E-CLUB PROGRAM
PRESIDING TODAY IS: Richard Phalunas, MSRE Club President
Welcome all – Visitors, fellow Rotarians and guests alike to this E-Club program!
Four-Way Test
A Reflective Moment
A Lighter Moment
“Were you alone or by yourself?”
“Was it you or your brother who was killed?”
“Without saying anything, tell the jury what you did next.”
“Was that the same nose you broke as a child?”
“Now, doctor, isn’t it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn’t know about it until the next morning?”
in over 200 countries, seeking to make friends and to have fun serving others. We encourage and foster the
development of acquaintance as opportunity to serve, and to advance understanding and peace.
We hold ourselves to high ethical standards in our business, professional, and personal lives.
In Rotary we are an important part of something much bigger than ourselves. We accomplish so much more by being a Rotarian.
Rotary is all about service to others. We are People of Action making a difference in our communities and the world as a whole.
Rotarians are guided by a strong vision. Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change –
across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves. We work to meet the needs of others and support the development of the communities in which we live. Collectively we contribute ~$200 million annually to our Foundation while providing 16 million volunteer hours to promote peace, fight disease, provide clean water, save mothers and children, support education, and grow local economies.
Paul Harris an attorney in Chicago gathered some friends in 1905 for fellowship and it grew from there.
Their first reason for being was FELLOWSHIP. Their mission soon became SERVICE.
The Four Way Test is used by Rotarians world-wide as a moral code for personal and business relationships. It can be applied to almost any aspect of life. It was developed by Herbert J. Taylor in 1932 to save the Aluminum Products Distribution Company from bankruptcy.
It was later adopted by RI. As Rotarians have always been known for their sense of humor, some have added a fifth question: Is it Fun?
The Object of Rotary places great value on service, friendship, and high ethical standards. Our occupations and our professional skills help us to increase cultural understanding, goodwill, and peace through community service. The Object of Rotary comes to life through Five Avenues of Service, which are the branches of our deeply rooted membership organization. They are: Club Service, Vocational Service, Community Service, International Service, and Youth Service. This is how we reach out and make a difference
in people’s lives around the world and right here at home.
Here’s a way of looking at our five avenues of service in action:
- Club Service: A vibrant Rotary Club is characterized by engaged membership, strong leadership, fellowship, and membership growth;
- Vocational Service: We put our skills and expertise to work for our communities and to mentor others in our professions;
- Community Service: We respond to the needs of our local communities in the form of service projects and financial support;
- International Service: We improve the lives of people around the world through global service on a scale that is unmatched -
polio eradication world-wide being a primary example;
- Youth Service: We assist in developing youth through leadership development programs, involving them in supporting
their communities, and supporting global student exchange opportunities.
Rotary clubs serve communities around the world, each with unique concerns and needs. Rotarians have continually adapted and improved the way they respond to those needs, taking on a broad range of service projects. We focus our efforts in seven primary areas we refer to as Rotary’s seven areas of focus. Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation recognize these seven areas of focus as organizational priorities. They are also the lens through which our Foundation views grant funding requests.
Today over 70 million people are displaced as a result of conflict, violence, persecution, and human rights violations. Half of them are children. Rotarians refuse to accept conflict as a way of life. Rotary encourages conversations to foster understanding within and across cultures. We train adults and young leaders to prevent and mediate conflict and help refugees who have fled dangerous areas.
Rotarians educate and equip communities to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases like polio, malaria, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, diabetes and Ebola. We improve and expand access to low-cost and free health care in developing areas. A member of the Mountain State Rotary e-Club is on the Board of the Club Foot Rotary Action Group focused on spreading the word about, and making available, childhood treatment in several regions of the world to avoid a life of disability.
Clean water, sanitation, and hygiene education are basic necessities for a healthy environment and a productive life. Rotary has been involved in water and sanitation projects from the Philippines to Tanzania, India and Guatemala. We don’t just build wells and walk away. We share our expertise with community leaders and educators to make sure our projects succeed long-term. In 2025-2026, some Rotarians in the Mountain State Rotary e-Club are members of the Rotary Action Group which seeks to raise awareness and opportunities to participate in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene projects in WV, nationally, and globally!
We expand access to quality care so mothers and children everywhere can have the same opportunities for a healthy future. An estimated 6 million children under the age of five die each year because of malnutrition, inadequate health care and poor sanitation
– all of which can be prevented. A Backpack Program of the Mountain State Rotary e-Club works with community partners in a remote county of West Virginia to assist with the provision of nourishment during periods of non-school attendance in Winter months.
In 2025-2026, more than 500 school-age children are qualified as living with food-insecurity.
More that 775 million people over the age of 15 are illiterate. Our goal is to strengthen the capacity of communities to support basic education and literacy, reduce gender disparity in education, and increase adult literacy. In 2025-2026, Rotarians in the Mountain State Rotary e-Club are members of the Rotary Action Group which seeks to raise awareness and opportunities to participate in Basic Education and Literacy activities and projects in WV, nationally, and globally! A program of the Mountain State Rotary e-Club has provided books for children of families visiting Food Shelters in several counties of WV. And, our e-Club also led the way for restoring a community library's holdings after a flood damaged the library in a remote location of West Virginia.
Rotarians carry out service projects that enhance economic and community development and create opportunities for decent and productive work for young and old. Entrepreneurs use microloans to become street venders, rickshaw drivers, weavers and tailors.
In 2025-2026, Rotarians in the Mountain State Rotary e-Club are members of the Rotary Action Group which is building a special initiative to raise awareness and opportunities to participate in support the environment with sustainable programs and projects
which have an impact in WV, and regions around the globe.
Rotary is easy to understand. Just remember four, five, seven. The Four-Way Test (what we live by), The Five Avenues of Service (which is how we serve) and The Seven Areas of Focus (which are the issues we address) all intended the improve the lives of people right here at home as well as around the world. Keep an eye out for that “Rotarians at Work” logo. You’re likely to see it anywhere people are doing good for others.
At the 1917 Rotary International convention, outgoing RI President Arch Klumph proposed setting up an endowment “for the purpose of doing good in the world.” That one idea, and an initial contribution of $26.50 set in motion a powerful force that has transformed millions of lives around the globe. Arch Klumph planted a seed and thanks to his vision, staunch advocacy and the extraordinary generosity of Rotarians worldwide, the Rotary Foundation has become one of the world’s leading humanitarian foundations. For quite a few years now, all members of the Mountain State Rotary e-Club have provided support to the Rotary Foundation and the club has been awarded
the honor of being a 100% participating club; and, about 80% of our Rotarians are Paul Harris Fellows at various levels,
with some being a Paul Harris Society Member, a Benefactor, and/or a Major Donor to the Foundation.
Rotary’s number one external priority is to eradicate polio in the world. The Polio Plus campaign to do just that was launched in 1985 and has reached a 99.9% reduction in the number of Polio cases worldwide. We are now focused on the final two countries with endemic polio cases: Pakistan and Afghanistan. In 2017 Rotary committed to raise $50 million per year with every dollar matched 2 for one by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - bringing the total to $450 million. That match opportunity has subsequently been extended as Rotary continues its efforts to keep its promise to the children of the world to eradicate polio.
Rotary believes in developing the next generation of leaders. Our programs help young people build leadership skills, expand education and learn the value of service. There are several programs available from Youth Exchange to Rotary Peace Fellowships, grants and scholarships. Rotaract Clubs promote leadership, professional development and service for college age adults and young professionals seeking to develop themselves and support their communities. Interact Clubs bring people ages 12-18 together to develop leadership skills and learn about the world through service projects and activities.
Our clubs are the heart and soul of Rotary.
They are where our People of Action reside and through which the work of Rotary is accomplished.
Rotary clubs vary is size, composition and format. The old vision of Rotary clubs being a group of older gentlemen sitting around a table for a formal presentation and lunch have largely disappeared. Today’s Rotary clubs are filled with a diverse set of Rotarians with a common interest in doing good in their communities and the world. They are a vibrant group, engaged in activities and making a difference. They are men and women from all walks of life who share a common set of interests based on the 4-5-7 set of Rotary foundations we talked about earlier. They meet at all times of the day and their meeting format is linked to the interests of their club members. The Mountain State Rotary e-Club posts regular programs on its website for e-Club Rotarians and others to access 24/7/365 – as the alternative to weekly club meeting for breakfast, lunch or dinner at a selected local community location. And, regular members communications are facilitated by social media sites, email, and texting apps.
The working end of the Rotary organization is our clubs. There are over 36,000 Rotary clubs worldwide in over 200 countries. Rotary Clubs are organized into districts and the districts, in turn, are organized into zones. Each pair of Rotary zones is represented
on the Rotary International Board of Directors.
Our district is District 7545 which is part of Zone 33 and represented by the Rotary International Director that oversees the Zone 33 and 34 zone pair which stretches from Pennsylvania into the Caribbean.
Our district covers all of West Virginia with the exception of the eastern panhandle and includes 54 clubs and over 1800 Rotarians. However, while the MSRE is organized in the WV District, it membership and service has no geographic boundary – Membership is open to anyone believing in the tenet of Service Above Self who resides in anyone of the more than 200 countries where Rotary is organized. Thus, our members have residences in WV, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Florida, the Caribbean, and Italy.
We are also known to be a little crazy at times, but that’s the way we keep our gatherings exciting and fun!
There are many good reasons to join Rotary. Life-long friends, making the community a better place, being part of something larger than yourself, networking, leadership and personal growth. These are just a few of the reasons why millions of people have joined Rotary over the past 120 years since Paul Harris started that first Rotary Club in Chicago in 1905.
Eugene Newsom gives a great answer to the question of Why join Rotary? Building your business is a good reason for joining but it cannot be the only reason. While he said this 93 years ago in 1927…it is still true today. We are looking for members who want to make a difference in people’s lives…people who will offer their time, talent and resources to further Rotary’s causes.
Visit our Website to learn more
Paul Harris said it best in describing what it takes to be a Rotarian when he said, “if you have the love of your fellow men in your heart, my friend, you are a potential Rotarian.” We’ve come a long way as Rotarians since that 1905 beginning, but our fundamentals haven’t changed: we’re still People of Action doing good in the world.
A great quote to end our session today comes from Harriet Tubman…”Every great dream begins with a dreamer, always remember you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”
Rotary has been doing this for 121 years, is it time for you to put your passion to work as a Rotarian?