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Together, With Love as Our Guide

by sakura December 19, 2024

Dear Friends,

As the year draws to a close, I’ve been reflecting on what truly drives our work at Rotary Charities—and what inspires me most about the work our grantees and partners do to strengthen our communities. Beneath the surface of action, innovation, and solutions lies a simple yet profound truth: our efforts are rooted in love. Love for our communities. Love for the people who make them vibrant. Love for this place we all call home.
 

We aim to support the assets and visions that make Northern Michigan’s cities, towns, villages, and natural environment better places to live and thrive. Whether it’s fostering spaces that bring us together, protecting the landscapes that nourish us, or initiatives that ensure everyone has a place to call home, our purpose is the same: to help people love where they live and thrive.
 

This year, that purpose came to life in powerful ways, from supporting efforts to end chronic homelessness to uplifting the voices of marginalized people, the transformative power of love in action was revealed.
 

Freya’s words from earlier this year resonate deeply: “When our work is rooted in love, we seed more love.”

Love, as she so beautifully put it, “is a feeling, an action, an art and discipline, a fundamental human need.” It can transform the systems we live and work within, making them healthier, more equitable, and more regenerative. Imagine systems—from housing to healthcare to education—operating with love at their core. What might those systems produce? What might we achieve together?


Systems change, at its essence, is about addressing the root causes of complex challenges. It’s work that requires us all to listen deeply, to be willing to change our minds, and to allow ourselves to be moved by the needs of others. These principles—rooted in love—guide us daily at Rotary Charities as we collaborate with changemakers across Northern Michigan.


As you reflect on the year past and look to the year ahead, I invite you to join us in embracing a love ethic in your work and life. How might love transform the ways you engage with the challenges and opportunities before you? How might it strengthen your relationships, deepen your sense of purpose, and spark meaningful change in your corner of the world?


Thank you for being part of this journey with us. Together, with love as our guide, we can continue to build communities where everyone can thrive. Here’s to a future full of connection, compassion, and the courage to create something better, together.

 

With gratitude and hope,

Sakura Takano
CEO, Rotary Charities of Traverse City

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