There was a time when receiving a Rotary pin gave you goosebumps.
It wasn’t just another ceremony, it was a moment.
A proud nod from your peers that said, “You belong here. You’ve earned this.”
Becoming a Rotarian meant your actions had already spoken for you, your values, your service, your integrity. The same went for the Paul Harris Fellow recognition. It wasn’t a piece of paper; it was a badge of honour. A milestone that said, you’ve made a real difference.
But somewhere along the way, those moments started to feel a little…automatic.
Pins handed out without the story, certificates given without the spark. And when recognition becomes routine, it risks losing what made it powerful in the first place.
Yet the answer isn’t to stop recognising, it’s to bring back the meaning.
To make every pin, every Paul Harris Fellow, every handshake matter again.
Because recognition isn’t about the formality, it’s about the heart behind it.
It’s about celebrating those who live and breathe Rotary’s values every single day, not for applause, but for purpose.
So let’s restore that pride.
Let’s make sure every award tells a story worth sharing, every pin represents a promise kept, and every act of recognition reminds us why we joined Rotary in the first place.
Because the true strength of Rotary has never been in how many wear the pin, but in how many live by what it stands for.
Article by Evan Burrell