Farewell – IIWPP Chrisin tervehdys

Kauden 2019-2020 maailmanpresidentin Chris Kirbyn kiitokset ja tervehdys kauden päättyessä löytyy IIW Facebookista.

It has been my honour to have been the 51st President of IIW in the 95th year of Inner Wheel. I believe that the secret to any change is to focus on building the new rather than fighting the old.

Charles Darwin believed that both progress and evolution comes about through diversity. We should always be willing to dream our own dreams and to accept the different dreams of others –and then respectfully work through those differences together to find a clearly defined purpose.

That is the biggest challenge for any leader……. and this is what we worked for during this year. In this, it has been my absolute pleasure to have enjoyed the company of some very dedicated and unselfish members whose definite ethos is the positive advancement of IW.

My thanks to our Administrator, Alan Phillips for always fulfilling the inevitable challenges of his first year in the role with logic, enthusiasm and good grace and Administrative Assistant, Elaine Hathaway for her support in the past year.

After this extraordinary journey, nothing will ever be quite the same for me and that is simply because of all my wonderful experiences this year, among some absolutely amazing women…. And not forgetting some pretty fantastic and supportive gentlemen, too! I am grateful to them all.

I especially thank my husband Robert and our wonderful family for their unfailing love, encouragement and support that always means so much. I wish to share the ending of an article about women that remains true for the many fabulous IW members I have met along the way:

The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning.
They bring joy, hope and love.
They have compassion and ideas.
They give moral support to their family and friends.
Women have vital things to say and everything to give.
However, if there is one flaw in women it is they forget their worth.

My wish for each member is to daily reaffirm that worth in whatever they choose to do, whether as valued members of Inner Wheel, as a part of our loving families or as participants in wider communities.
You deserve no less.
This year, as members of Inner Wheel, I am proud to know that we HAVE fulfilled my international theme: Empower and Evolve.

Chris Kirby