A big thank you to Bob Armessen for organising another wonderfully successful social night, this time at Thai Carnation. Members & partners braved the elements to attend. It was well worth the effort, with all in good cheer enjoying each other's company.
As advised by email last week, we have had several suggestions for District Grant Projects this year, which is really encouraging. The Board will be considering all suggestions put forward after this week's club meeting and decide on the application(s) to be made to District. Members will be advised of the outcome accordingly.
A reminder to all members that this week's meeting will also include our Club Assembly. This provides the opportunity for the Club's Board of Directors to report to all members about the on-goings of the club, upcoming events, plans etc. and also for members to provide input on club operations and activities. Please put your thinking caps on and voice your thoughts and ideas at the meeting.
I look forward, as always, to seeing you all there.
Every Club needs new members in order to be vibrant and active. New members introduce new ideas, bring fresh perspectives and extend the Club’s reach in the community. It is not your choice to decide if someone joins our Club – but if you don’t show them what Rotary is about, they can’t make an informed decision to join or not to join.
New members are just people, the same as the rest of us. Think about it – what was it that you discovered about Rotary that made you return after your first meeting? Could someone have told you about that, or did you need to see and feel it for yourself? And was the reason you took the next step the same reason you are a Rotarian today? Probably not!
So, it’s up to us to bring guests to our Club. Research shows that people need at least 6 exposures to an organisation before they will initiate an interaction. Most people in our communities know something about Rotary, but when they come along to a meeting, without pressure to join, they can see for themselves what it’s all about. They can begin to understand what they don’t see when they buy a BBQ sausage or enjoy a service provided by a Rotary Club. It’s another piece of the picture of our global organisation. Learning enough about Rotary and feeling welcome takes time; new members may take years to decide to take that step and join a Club.
Ideal potential guests are people who embody Rotary’s values and want to improve our community. We all know someone who would be a great Rotarian - friends, neighbours and business/work acquaintances – but why don’t we bring them along to share? Nobody wants to feel like a shonky sales rep, trying to convince someone to join our Club (it feels as bad to the listener as it does to us!) But anyone can bring a guest to a meeting. Don’t try to tell potential members everything there is to know about Rotary. Show them.
Bring a guest to a meeting this month and SHOW them WHY you’re a Rotarian….
Please help support The Illawarra Rotary Clubs - Charity Race Day
Fundraising Concert for Medecins Sans Frontieres
The musical brilliance of pianist Simon Tedeschi and the beautiful voices of local emerging artists Molly Stewart and Olive Cullen create a night of musical wonder. From piano solos to musical theatre favourites, art songs and arias, this concert is for all ages and all music lovers.
The concert merges the healing power of music with support for those who heal people in crisis. By sharing the joy of music, you help raise money for Médecins Sans Frontières and celebrate outstanding home-grown talent. Booking a ticket provides a direct contribution to MSF.
