As Rotarians, we are leaders in our communities, and December is an appropriate time to think about our response to the pandemic from this perspective. Rotarians find ways to help the vulnerable people who need assistance by supporting food banks in this time of deep need, we deliver Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets to families so they can enjoy these special holidays, we support blood drives, and we identify needs specific to our communities and seek ways to assist. According to Johns Hopkins University: "1 million new coronavirus cases have been added to the U.S. total -- in only 5 days. It took almost 100 days to reach 1 million confirmed Covid-19 cases after the virus was first reported in the United States in January. Now, the country has added more than 1 million cases to its grim total in just five days." These numbers include some people who have been infected with no symptoms or problems, others who have been mildly sick, still others who were sick for many weeks and sustained serious damage to their organs that will cause problems the rest of their lives, and too many others have died. Health experts are warning that we must stop the spread of this virus before it overwhelms our hospitals and the entire healthcare system. What can we do? How can we do our part to keep our communities safe? The graphic above shows how each simple action contributes to the overall safety of our most at risk citizens. Please consider what we are modeling to our community: are we doing what we can to keep people safe and healthy? What is your club already doing to keep your members and your community safe? What more can we do? We are community leaders. Now is the time to redouble our efforts to follow the recommendations of the health experts and to encourage others to do so as well. Simple steps taken by all of us can make a huge difference. Now is the time. We can make a difference. After all, it's what Rotarians do! In Rotary service, Becky Mason 2020-21 District 5910 Governor | 
