This past week, Rotary celebrated its 117th Birthday. I encourage all Clubs to reflect during their next meeting, on their achievements over the many years of service to their communities, both locally and internationally.
District Conference now has the go ahead, albeit on a reduced numbers basis. Some further adjustments to the program will be made with additional presenters from various District Committees now wishing to participate. The House of Friendship will be on show, so please make them welcome as you mingle over morning, afternoon tea and lunch. The Saturday night dinner unfortunately is booked out as we are only able to have set numbers in the venue. A local jazz band will provide music with other entertainment during the evening. The Friday evening “Meet & Greet” will be held at our newly completed Bowls Club. Music will be provided by the organizers of the Port Fairy Spring Music Festival and will include a string quartet.
For those that were not able to book for the Saturday night dinner, you may wish to form a group and book at one of the restaurants available in Port Fairy. A list of recommended venues has been included in the Weekly Newsletter.
Let’s all come together over the conference weekend to reconnect, relax, share stories, plan joint Club activities, visitations, and fellowship. We have shown RESILIENCE over the course of the pandemic, and we should now be looking at the RENEWAL of our energy, projects and events and thus REGENERATE the focus of our Clubs towards doing good in our communities and around the world.
The Environment has been a special focus this Rotary year, and I ask if any Clubs have photos or a short video of their projects or events, can you please forward them to me. They will be included in the Conference presentations.
Don’t forget 6th of March is Clean up Australian Day.
As mentioned previously, I am asking all Clubs to register for this event and provide some photos or short video of your actions. It is not necessary to complete your clean up program on the day, however, over the course of that week would be ideal. Perhaps think about connecting with other like-minded community groups to undertake a joint clean up.
Membership has been part of my presentation during Club visitations. We must continue to seek new member opportunities for our Clubs to be prosperous and vibrant. So how do we do this? Firstly, the District Membership committee comprises some eighteen Rotarians who can assist. Don’t be alone-reach out to this committee, as they are only too willing to help. Generate more social and fun activities within your Club and let’s not always focus on funds raising. Do more Service projects-be seen in your communities. Make sure you are using correct branding and signage showing you are Rotarians at work and doing good. Please use happy action photos in any publication and use correct branding of Rotary.
Three suggested steps for prospective members that show what we do:
SOCIAL
Invite prospects to a social event, lunch at a winery, progressive dinner party, Club BBQ, games night, film night etc.
VOLUNTEERING
Now, invite them to a Working Bee, Bunnings BBQ, Swap meet, Art Show, Clean up Australia Day event, etc…
CLUB MEETING/GUEST SPEAKER
Lastly, invite them to a Club meeting, when you have a very interesting guest speaker.
These 3 actions will show prospective members the main areas of activities that your Club undertakes. Do not ask them to commit to join during these actions, as that will place some doubt in their minds. I believe once they experience your Club’s three main areas of actions, they will tell you if they wish to be part of becoming a Person of Action. Please remember your Club meetings must be interesting and purposeful to maintain members’ engagement. Use of technology within Club meetings to engage guest speakers and the like is paramount to your Club being able to retain members and attract new members.
If a meeting does not have purpose or outcome what is the point?
As part of my visitations within the District, I attended a joint meeting of the Otway & Djilang Rotaract Clubs at the Farmers Arms Hotel in Beeac. We had a good turnout of members and we enjoyed fellowship, a meal, and a short presentation from myself.
Rotaractors are part of the wider Rotary family, and I encourage all Rotary Clubs to connect and support our Rotaract Clubs. This can be achieved in many ways- invitation to a Club meeting, providing a mentoring opportunity, guest speakers, requesting additional volunteers for a Club event (Ballarat Swap Meet, Torquay Car Show, and Books Sales as examples). Rotaract provides leads for potential members, joint projects, joint Clean up Australia Day event and much more.
I look forward to meeting up with some of you at Conference,
John