The first month as your District Governor has been exciting and wonderful.  The clubs that Don and I have visited have been exceptional and vibrant.  Now, it’s “full speed ahead” as we “break waves” on to the next twelve clubs in August.  We’re wishing that IPDG Berta could come along with us on some of these visits.  You never know, we might be able to “hoist her aboard.”

Membership & New Club Development

Our District and our nation have faced a decrease in Rotary membership over this past year.  We need to look at membership differently going forward.  Let’s focus on what will matter most to our members.  Growing Rotary is about adding members and new clubs, but it’s so much more.  We need to identify what members want so their own needs are met in addition to serving our communities and the world.  Let’s grow the relevance and value of Rotary to each of our current members to grow their engagement.

Every Rotarian is part of the Membership committee.  Every Rotarian can invite a friend, colleague, or family member to visit a meeting, project, or event.  We can all share the joy of Rotary as People of Action!

The pandemic has accelerated the rate of change in our clubs and the acceptance of new ideas in how we meet, connect, and serve.  We can take advantage of what we’ve learned, including starting new clubs to meet different needs.

So, what can we do differently?  Re-think our product (club).  Seize the moment!  Step back and review our product.  Is your club growing?  Is it innovative?  Does it have attractive projects?

Think about doing a Club Visioning.  Conduct a Membership survey.  Assess the needs in your community through a Community Assessment at the club or area level.

Are you thinking about having hybrid meetings?  We have a new committee that can help you with that!  They’re called the “NerdSquad.”  They are a small group of highly talented individuals that are expert in putting together hybrid meetings among other things.  Reach out to either, Richard Forster, Stacy Graham, Randy Rascati, Pat Ward or PDG Ray Ward to find out more.

At a time when the world needs Rotary more than ever, let’s grow our impact by leveraging our connections with other Rotarians, and non-Rotarians, so that we can “Serve….to Change Lives”.  We all remain committed to serving our communities, delivering an engaging, meaningful experience, and being a welcoming and inclusive organization for all.

Looking forward to seeing you all soon.  And in keeping with our theme this year, “All Aboard with Rotary” ……

“Life’s roughest storms prove the strength of our anchors!”