Speech Ashwini Surendar, just before her election as LCI Vice-President at the LCI Conference 2001 in Heidelberg.
There is a wonderful word in the English Language. The word is Serendipity. It means when you go looking for something but find something else in its place that is totally different yet completely wonderful in itself.
That has been my story in Ladies Circling.
I joined circling with a simple intention of finding a social group…..…….but what I found instead was trousseau of riches.
Friends who would last me a lifetime, experiences with people and places that no university or book or classroom could ever give me.
President Susanne, members from the international board, Councillors, delegates & ladies from the world over, I bring you greetings from nearly a 1000 Circlers, in 80 circles across 42 cities and towns in India.
My 6 years of duties in my circle & my 5 years on the national board of Ladies Circle India starting with my role as National Editor and ultimately being the National President were gifts to me. It was an exercise of sharing a vision with every circler in the country. Ladies Circling has thought me to be a manager, an accountant, an editor, a computer programmer and in short almost ‘Complete Woman’.
Ladies Circle India is a mature 31 year old association with its vast reach within the Indian subcontinent. There were times when LC India needed help and on 3 separate occasions LC International has provided us with a helping hand so that we could in turn help the poor.
Now its time for LC India to give back to LC International what it needs most.
Our Time, commitment and our leadership.
Today I stand before you, about to take my first small step towards fulfilling a dream, about to try and fill the shoes of those who walked before me, yet try and leave footprints of my own,
About to commit myself more deeply to the Ladies Circle cause, which began as a mere flirtation but now fills me with an all-consuming passion…
Today I draw strength, support and energy from the hopes and aspirations of circlers back home and each and everyone of you in this assembly.
Some of you will cast your vote today following the dictates of your mind.
Some of you may let your heart do the deciding.
But one thing is certain ………..Personal achievements are secondary.
The only thing that truly matters is Ladies Circling itself.
The individual is never bigger that the purpose she serves.
I am what I am because of Ladies Circling...
The Friends I have made, the warmth that I have received and the doors to so many homes that have been opened to me is because of Ladies Circling and I thank God for it.
And it is with this confidence that I stand here today to seek your mandate, for firmly within me is the trust that together we will take LC International from strength to strength.
We stand today at the threshold of a fresh year in International Circling,
Whatever happens between now and the next time we meet, one thing is already certain nothing will quite be the same ever again. We will be in a new age, a new era. And standing in judgment over all of us as to what we achieved the past year would be time itself. But I shall tell you these words and leave it in your hearts to explore its fullest meaning.
And the words are: I have a dream
I have a dream this day that someday, Ladies Circle International will be the finest friendship and service organisation of the world.
I have dream this day that our membership will swell to tens of thousands of young woman, in every continent and every country of this earth.
I have a dream this day that some day every money we raise in the name of Ladies Circling will have the name of a hungry child or a homeless soul written on it.
And in this dream I see us walk together hand in hand and tell the world that this is who we are, this is what we do and this is how we do it.
We build schools, we run homes for the poor, we bring nations closer in friendship, we educate, we elevate, we medicate and most importantly we make this world a better place for the Human race.
After all as they say right here in Ladies Circle Germany ‘The more we give, the more we get’.
Dear Ladies & Friends in Ladies Circle , it would be such an honour and a rare privilege to be given the opportunity to serve as your Vice President.
Ashwini Surendar
LCI Vice-president
IPP Ladies' Circle India
