Download the Bulletin for Meeting 1050 here.
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From President Chris Gascoine:
At Tuesday’s meeting we welcomed Euan Miller, District 9520 Membership Chair as Guest Speaker, and David Jones, District 9520 Group 7 AG and District 9510 DG Nominee.
Colin & Pauline Hill, John Kennedy, Carol McKenzie, and Kirsty Stark were apologies.
Member Attraction and Retention
This week, Euan gave us a “Walk the Talk” presentation on attracting, and being attractive to, new members.
Positive factors in being attractive to younger prospective members are having interesting projects, providing mentoring in skill and career development, having flexibility in participation at meetings and service activities, and by-the-month direct debit payment of membership subscriptions. New friends and meetings with meals are generally not seen as being included in this list.
On the other hand, the “7 Deadly Sins” making club meetings unattractive to the younger generation are seen to be:
Bling (president’s chain etc.), singing the national anthem, the invocation, toasts (except for significant occasions), the Sergeant’s Fines Session (as opposed to Happy Bucks), head tables (us and them), and too many grey heads (members of advanced years).
Things to be considered in moving to attract new members are to conduct a health check on the current state of the club, to work on making necessary changes to the culture of the club, to have a strategic plan, to conduct an information meeting, to have a fast induction process, to ensure that new members are inspired, and to let new members lead and develop their own project. Of these, having a strategic plan, ensuring inspiration, and allowing responsibility are most important.
Some points to note about holding an information event are (a) serious planning to start 6 weeks before, (b) to be held at same time and place as regular meetings, (c) to last no more than an hour, (d) promotion strategy to suit the target demographic, (e) every member to attend and to bring a guest and to speak to every guest, (f) serve sparkling wine and finger food, (g) standing not sitting, (h) 3 speakers no more than 3 minutes each about their own passion in Rotary about mid-way through the event, (i) ask guests to sign an application form, (j) invite guests to meetings, (k) follow-up.
Sue Hector: Rotarian of the Year
Café va Bene was the venue last week for presenting departing club member, Sue Hector with the 2017-2018 club Rotarian of the Year. Sadly, Sue has now resigned from Rotary to pursue other interests, but since joining Magill Sunrise she has led from the front with many fundraising projects. Sue roped in husband Paul on many occasions and we also thank him for his service to Rotary and the community. Well done the Hectors, we will miss you both. And it’s not many of us who can claim that suburb has been named after them. Immediate Past President 2017-18, Ian had the honour of making the presentation to Sue.