Anne Bermingham, Governor

GOVERNOR ANNE'S APRIL MESSAGE

 

Spring really is on its way - 

Let's embrace that theme of renewal!

Today is one of those days where snow flurries are still making an appearance.  Spring is around the corner however.
 
I love spring as it is a season of renewal and hope.  This spring season lets carry that message into our own clubs.  Here are five ideas of how to do just that:
 
1.  Develop and administer a club member survey (there are lots of sample ones at My Rotary).  Ask members if there are some old ways / customs in your club that they would like to see be changed or stopped.  If we don’t ask these questions, we will never know where the majority of the opinions lie.
 
2.  Hold a club assembly in May or June and have each committee report out on what it has accomplished for the year plus what are 1-2 suggestions they have for the 2022-2023 Rotary year that they hope the committee would consider adapting.  Life depends on change and renewal.  Same can be said for our Rotary clubs.  Encourage the conversation.
 
3. Set up a phone tree so that every member of the board / club calls a few other members of the club this spring.  Ask the member what they most value about the club as well as a wish for the club in the coming year.  Not all wishes can be granted but engaging each member in answering such a question is an important step in keeping our members engaged.  Bring the answers to a joint meeting of the new / old Board to decide how best to action the ideas.
 
4. Refresh and renew the content on your club website.  Add some pictures from the current year.  List some of your past or upcoming events like the Great Lakes Watershed Clean-up.  Retail stores know the importance of changing their front-facing displays.  Our websites are the windows into our clubs.  We got to keep them ever changing and dynamic.
 
5. Think of someone who you can invite to a Rotary event.  New people bring new ideas.  Invite people to your service days.  Encourage guests to come hear a great speaker.  We have to keep inviting others to work with us.  They say that competition makes us faster. Collaboration makes us better. 
 
Help us to bring renewal and new energy to your club.
 
And enjoy the miracles of spring.
 
Anne Bermingham