District Governor’s Message
By: DG Bob MacKenzie, Kennebunk RC
This time of year we are very fortunate to take time to celebrate with family & friends around the holiday season. In Rotary, many clubs volunteer in their communities to feed those that might not have the means or who may not have others in their lives to sit at a table and break bread with. Clubs sell wreaths, trees and ring the Salvation Army bell in order to support those in need. We have holiday parties for children that may not receive gifts from someone in a red suit on December 25th. All in all it is a fun, festive season where we come together and do great work, creating positive experiences and changing lives where we may never truly see the downstream impact of our work. But frequently, at the same time, life happens. And we can’t predict it and often are completely thrown by it. That’s how it’s been with me and my family the past few weeks.
Another reason December is special for me is that it is Disease Prevention & Treatment month. I think those that know me and read this may know what’s about to come from me, but……. Rotarians internationally come together to combat diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDES, Alzheimers, MS, diabetes and, of course, polio. If we lived in a world without Rotarians doing this work it would look much different. Imagine - what would Polio look like in the world if Rotary didn’t exist?
Near and dear to me is Substance Use Disorder (SUD), formally known as addiction. Mayo Clinic defines SUD as a disease that affects a person’s brain and behavior and leads to an inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or medicine. While I write this my step-daughter is at a women’s rehab in Maine after suffering a near-fatal overdose just over three weeks ago in New Hampshire. I spoke with the police chief whose officers responded to the call and stated she was unresponsive and blue and had they not intervened at that very moment, she would have died.
My step daughter does not want to die and if she could just stop using drugs/alcohol, she would. But because she suffers from the disease of SUD, she can’t stop. She wants to stop but this disease has such a hold on her brain, she can’t. This is about the eighth time in treatment for her, and her mom and I pray that this will be the time that works. I know from the world I live in that people do recover. Few recover after the first treatment, for many others it may take dozens of treatment attempts, and some may never recover. Because we have faith, we will never give up on her recovery.
We as Rotarians have done great work by way of the District’s Recovery Initiative. We have educated 1000’s in our District in order to reduce stigma and provide Narcan, the drug that can reverse an opioid overdose. We create support systems throughout our communities that are needed in order to provide those suffering from SUD better chances for recovery. We have helped businesses learn how to become a recovery ready workplace, which employs those in recovery. All in all, we have and will continue to save lives and make positive changes, never really knowing the true impact of our work.
I will ask for any prayers, positive energy or positive thoughts to be sent our way as we will take all the help we can get. In saying that we will remain positive and we will get through this. We will be able to come together as a family and celebrate the upcoming holidays.
My hope for you is that you all have the same opportunity to be with you loved ones, and hold them close. I know you will be out there making positive changes in your communities during this holiday season as well, and for that I thank you. We should be proud of what we do and for the impact we have on the lives of others. Happy Holidays and I continue to look forward to serving you all as you District Governor.