Hello one and all, and welcome to another wonderful week in the world of Rotary.
Congratulations to our incoming Sergeant Gayle Barrot on conducting her first Fines’ Session.
What a fun start it was thanks to Gayle’s wit and comic timing, and the repartee with fellow Sergeant David. It was good to see members being fined for breaching COVID restrictions when they travelled to France; Catherine was seen on the roof of Notre Dame Cathedral wearing a chef’s hat, Russell Marnock was at the Palace of Versailles, and Roy was at a Mont St. Michel lookalike. It was Bastille Day, but still!!
Assistant Governor Brian Hodgson awarded Russell another Paul Harris Fellow for his continued very generous support of Rotary’s Charity, The Rotary Foundation of which he is our Chair. Russell gave credit to his wife Marjolein since it is her money too which is donated. Russell also works with District as the Trachoma 2020 Chair. You are a wonderful servant of Rotary and you make us proud Russell.
The Board held its first official meeting last Thursday night, and the Committee Chairs spoke in glowing terms about their team-members. Many of you have attended your first committee meeting, which stimulated thinking creatively and new ideas and approaches, in the face of the challenges and roadblocks that the Corona Virus pandemic has put in our way.
Now we must innovate and we mustn’t be afraid to do so. We have the skills, the capabilities and the self-belief to confront these challenges head on.
Last Tuesday, Ken and I saw a presentation by Michael McQueen from the Crows Nest Club of North Sydney entitled “The Post-Crisis Kickstart to Building your Team or Club.” Michael quoted founder Paul Harris, who said, “[Rotary] must be evolutionary always and at times revolutionary.” We must get out of our comfort zone and do things that are uncomfortable. “Habitual thinking is the enemy of innovation.” Now we have a great opportunity to rethink things. Questions we can ask ourselves are:
- What’s one thing we need to stop doing? – for example a Rotary tradition that is no longer necessary, relevant or helpful.
- What’s one thing we need to start doing, or do more of?
- What’s one thing that we should not have stopped doing? – should we reintroduce that thing?
Link to more information
Here
We must be forward-looking and “think possibility not precedent.”
This is where our new and newer members can give us the best insights. We must be open to the perspectives of those with fresh eyes.
So new and newish members, “What are the things that seem weird to you? What are the things that don’t make sense to you?” Club Assemblies held each month give you the opportunities to provide your feedback either directly or through your mentor or chairperson. Don’t be afraid, and there are no stupid questions. We need to know what is dissuading visitors from joining. Are they confused, overwhelmed or not made to feel welcome? Our Membership Chair Roy and his committee are examining these issues at present. And Shalini has tried to demystify common terms and acronyms in a mailout.
When we went into lockdown mid-March, many of us thought that in three months’ time, the virus would be contained and it would be back to business as usual, so we bided our time. How differently have things turned out! With this realisation, we have “got back in the saddle” and are now focussing on SBAG = Stretching But Achievable Goals. This brings me to our:-
Next meeting, our first Club Assembly chaired by President-Elect Shalini Penny.
You need to tune in, as after the Sergeant’s Session
- we plan to put each Club Committee into its own Breakout Room for a short meeting, after which we will come together again to exchange information and ideas.
You need to tune in to learn about
- the Board’s decisions about what we intend to do to assist those in our local communities experiencing extreme hardship, either brought on by the COVID -19 pandemic or exacerbated by it.
- What the International Service Committee is doing on our behalf
- Interact at St.Margaret’s School, the club we are co-sponsoring with Berwick RC, and their paper crane making project as a fundraiser for Black Rainbow
- The Deb Ball and the 2021 All-American Car Display and Man-Cave Alley
- Forming a Sub-Committee for our Centennial Project. Ros has already volunteered but we need more willing members, and everyone’s ideas for a project that addresses a significant community need.
Sangeeta is kindly allowing us to use her business’s Zoom Pro account, and you will receive the link to the meeting via email. I think her link will work and there won’t be a lockout. Until then, stay safe and enjoy our good fortune.
Yours in Rotary, Vicki.
