Rotary International News -- 29 March 2010
As the end of the Rotary year draws near, assistant governors prepare for their final quarterly visits to their assigned clubs.
Depending on the number and location of assigned clubs and the district budget, this may prove to be a daunting task. While assistant governors should visit each of their assigned clubs at least once in person, they can explore other ways to check in with clubs if personal visits become unfeasible.
* Use web conferencing software to virtually attend a club meeting or assembly.
* Check in with club leaders with frequent phone calls and e-mails.
* Conduct a multi-club visit (if clubs are near each other) to minimize travel and expenses.
Whatever the method, it is important to find a way to communicate with clubs about their progress toward their goals. During the final visit, remind clubs to submit updated membership lists and semiannual dues to RI. (Both can be submitted using Member Access.)
After the final visit, be sure to complete the Memo of Club Visit form and submit it to the district governor by 15 May.
RI Zones 25-26 Rotary Coordinator News
Friday, April 16, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Is Rotary like James Bond?
Don’t Know How to Use Facebook? You’re Fired!
Tuesday, April 13, 2010 7:49 PM
By Jessica Ramirez
"According to the Daily Mail newspaper, the British intelligence agency MI5 has rolled out plans to lay off workers (including spies) who do not know how to use social-networking tools like Facebook and Twitter."
Okay, so admittedly this is a bit of a stretch -- but..... the real fact is, if Rotarians (that's you and me) don't embrace all resources and technologies -- if we "just keep doin' what we've always done" -- we're going to get left in the dust.
Please be assured that Rotary International is indeed using (very successfully) Social Media including Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. To truly reach our members and those outstanding younger professional, business and community leaders that we hope to invite to Rotary, then our clubs and districts also need to be using every available new communication tool available to us.
Just because we're 105 years old and the oldest service organization, doesn't mean we have to act like it!
To read the whole article go to:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1265219/MI5-pensions-spies-use-I-T.html
Tuesday, April 13, 2010 7:49 PM
By Jessica Ramirez
"According to the Daily Mail newspaper, the British intelligence agency MI5 has rolled out plans to lay off workers (including spies) who do not know how to use social-networking tools like Facebook and Twitter."
Okay, so admittedly this is a bit of a stretch -- but..... the real fact is, if Rotarians (that's you and me) don't embrace all resources and technologies -- if we "just keep doin' what we've always done" -- we're going to get left in the dust.
Please be assured that Rotary International is indeed using (very successfully) Social Media including Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. To truly reach our members and those outstanding younger professional, business and community leaders that we hope to invite to Rotary, then our clubs and districts also need to be using every available new communication tool available to us.
Just because we're 105 years old and the oldest service organization, doesn't mean we have to act like it!
To read the whole article go to:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1265219/MI5-pensions-spies-use-I-T.html
Monday, April 5, 2010
Chartering a New Club?
A couple of hints to assure success of that new club:
Though the “rules” say a club may be chartered with 20, RI strongly encourages at least 25 charter members due to what will be some inevitable attrition in the first few months. It’s been found that those who start with 25 or more members do a lot better in the long run – they aren’t as likely to struggle in the first few years.
Another idea to consider is to ask a couple of your PETS instructors to give a half day of PEITS to the charter president (President-Elect-Intensive-Training-Seminar.) The DGE and AG for the new club would probably like to be involved in that as well.
Encouraging all the provisional or charter members to attend the conference and the district assembly is another great way to make basic Rotary information available to them -- as well as give these new Rotarians an opportunity to meet, talk, and learn from Rotarians from around the district – good “networking” if you will.
At least one year of regular mentoring of the new club by the sponsor club is imperative! This includes:
*regular club visits by the sponsor club members
*sponsor club board member(s) attend new club board meetings
*invite charter club board to attend sponsor club board meetings
*work on a joint club project
*plan a joint club social
*match mentor/charter jobs (i.e. President mentors President, Secretary mentors Secretary, etc.)
What ideas can you suggest to help in the successful chartering of new clubs? Email your ideas to judi5110@comcast.net
Though the “rules” say a club may be chartered with 20, RI strongly encourages at least 25 charter members due to what will be some inevitable attrition in the first few months. It’s been found that those who start with 25 or more members do a lot better in the long run – they aren’t as likely to struggle in the first few years.
Another idea to consider is to ask a couple of your PETS instructors to give a half day of PEITS to the charter president (President-Elect-Intensive-Training-Seminar.) The DGE and AG for the new club would probably like to be involved in that as well.
Encouraging all the provisional or charter members to attend the conference and the district assembly is another great way to make basic Rotary information available to them -- as well as give these new Rotarians an opportunity to meet, talk, and learn from Rotarians from around the district – good “networking” if you will.
At least one year of regular mentoring of the new club by the sponsor club is imperative! This includes:
*regular club visits by the sponsor club members
*sponsor club board member(s) attend new club board meetings
*invite charter club board to attend sponsor club board meetings
*work on a joint club project
*plan a joint club social
*match mentor/charter jobs (i.e. President mentors President, Secretary mentors Secretary, etc.)
What ideas can you suggest to help in the successful chartering of new clubs? Email your ideas to judi5110@comcast.net
What do our Rotarians want out of Rotary?
An excerpt from a speech given by RI Director-Elect John Smarge at the March Rotary Coordinator seminar:
"Over the last few years there have been numerous surveys conducted regarding member satisfaction. There have been country wide surveys, Zone surveys in all parts of the world, as well as district and club surveys. Though in most cases the questions were posed in different manners, for the most part, overall, the responses have garnered the same results. I would like to reference, as an example, a survey conducted for the Rotary Club of Buffalo, NY USA, which fairly represents many of the other worldwide surveys.
"The Rotary Club of Buffalo contracted a company to do a survey of its members. They did so to try to understand the feeling of the members on a multi-million dollar, multi-year community service project that they were about to undertake. As part of the survey, they asked other questions, many of them relating to how the members felt about the club and their motivation for being part of the club.
"The survey revealed some interesting conclusions. When reviewing the results from the assorted questions on “why you are a member of the Rotary club” the survey takers found that the answers were very conclusive, yet varied depending on how many years you were a member of the club, which also can correspond the relative age of the member.
"For those members who had been in the club less than five years, what they wanted most out of the club was personal growth, business and professional development skills and networking opportunities. Networking!! In many parts of the world, the idea of being a member of a Rotary club for self-interest is unacceptable. Yet that, for the most part, is what our new members are looking for. Now understand that this group wants to be involved, yet are very often not finding the outlet in our clubs to do so. Think of the opportunities that experienced members have to mentor the newer members. Not necessarily in offering Rotary knowledge, but in providing professional development skills. I will tell you, from personal experience, that I joined Rotary at 22 years old for those exact reasons. 28 years later, I am the business person; I am the person that I am today, by following the examples and listening to the wisdom of those experienced Rotarians in my club.
"Looking back at the survey, we find that those members who were in the club 5 to 20 years, they were looking, most importantly, for opportunities to connect with their communities through hands on projects and secondarily, to make a difference in the world. This is the aspect of our organization that we are best identified with and which we have traditionally done quite well at delivering. Those worldwide studies will tell you, if you can get a member to the 5-20 year period, you’ll keep them
"More than 20 years? They wanted the social aspect, fellowship, staying in touch and connected with their Rotary friends, having a place to come each week where they feel comfortable."
This information is important not only in serving the members of our own clubs, but to remember when we're talking to prospective members. Are they being given the opportunity to talk about what they need to make Rotary a good value for their invested time money? Have you surveyed your current membership to see if their needs are being met?
Thank you for making Rotary a priority!
Judi
"Over the last few years there have been numerous surveys conducted regarding member satisfaction. There have been country wide surveys, Zone surveys in all parts of the world, as well as district and club surveys. Though in most cases the questions were posed in different manners, for the most part, overall, the responses have garnered the same results. I would like to reference, as an example, a survey conducted for the Rotary Club of Buffalo, NY USA, which fairly represents many of the other worldwide surveys.
"The Rotary Club of Buffalo contracted a company to do a survey of its members. They did so to try to understand the feeling of the members on a multi-million dollar, multi-year community service project that they were about to undertake. As part of the survey, they asked other questions, many of them relating to how the members felt about the club and their motivation for being part of the club.
"The survey revealed some interesting conclusions. When reviewing the results from the assorted questions on “why you are a member of the Rotary club” the survey takers found that the answers were very conclusive, yet varied depending on how many years you were a member of the club, which also can correspond the relative age of the member.
"For those members who had been in the club less than five years, what they wanted most out of the club was personal growth, business and professional development skills and networking opportunities. Networking!! In many parts of the world, the idea of being a member of a Rotary club for self-interest is unacceptable. Yet that, for the most part, is what our new members are looking for. Now understand that this group wants to be involved, yet are very often not finding the outlet in our clubs to do so. Think of the opportunities that experienced members have to mentor the newer members. Not necessarily in offering Rotary knowledge, but in providing professional development skills. I will tell you, from personal experience, that I joined Rotary at 22 years old for those exact reasons. 28 years later, I am the business person; I am the person that I am today, by following the examples and listening to the wisdom of those experienced Rotarians in my club.
"Looking back at the survey, we find that those members who were in the club 5 to 20 years, they were looking, most importantly, for opportunities to connect with their communities through hands on projects and secondarily, to make a difference in the world. This is the aspect of our organization that we are best identified with and which we have traditionally done quite well at delivering. Those worldwide studies will tell you, if you can get a member to the 5-20 year period, you’ll keep them
"More than 20 years? They wanted the social aspect, fellowship, staying in touch and connected with their Rotary friends, having a place to come each week where they feel comfortable."
This information is important not only in serving the members of our own clubs, but to remember when we're talking to prospective members. Are they being given the opportunity to talk about what they need to make Rotary a good value for their invested time money? Have you surveyed your current membership to see if their needs are being met?
Thank you for making Rotary a priority!
Judi
Thursday, April 1, 2010
More Info and Data on Social Media
Rotary is using many form of Social Media which is becoming more and more important in accepted communication and PR.
We've heard that prospective employers search Social Media sights for insights into potential hires. Kelli Matthews, who teaches public relations and social media at the University of Oregon says the volume of Web postings and the prevalence of social media sites, including Facebook and Twitter, has helped make even anonymous posters fairly easy to identify. "There's really no such thing as being anonymous," Matthews said. "If you're being inappropriate, you have to know everything you say is live and permanent and searchable. And the Internet never forgets."
For more interesting information is about "who" is using "which" forms of Social Media, click on this link for some interesting information from Paul Kiser, PR chair of 5190:
http://paulkiser.wordpress.com/2010/04/01/who-uses-facebook-twitter-myspace-linkedin/
We've heard that prospective employers search Social Media sights for insights into potential hires. Kelli Matthews, who teaches public relations and social media at the University of Oregon says the volume of Web postings and the prevalence of social media sites, including Facebook and Twitter, has helped make even anonymous posters fairly easy to identify. "There's really no such thing as being anonymous," Matthews said. "If you're being inappropriate, you have to know everything you say is live and permanent and searchable. And the Internet never forgets."
For more interesting information is about "who" is using "which" forms of Social Media, click on this link for some interesting information from Paul Kiser, PR chair of 5190:
http://paulkiser.wordpress.com/2010/04/01/who-uses-facebook-twitter-myspace-linkedin/
Monday, March 29, 2010
Creative Social Media Idea
If you ever wondered about the impact of SOCIAL MEDIA, check out this YouTube video!
http://www.jkweddingdance.com/
"When Minnesotans Kevin and Jill planned their wedding ceremony, they decided to nix the formal entrance and celebrate with their own crazy dance routine. The choreographed processional to Chris Brown's "Forever" gave them 45 million YouTube hits, PUBLICITY they directed toward a good cause. So far, the couple has raised $26,000 dollars for the Sheila Wellstone Institute."
So - just imagine the impact a of a Fun, creative YouTube video about your Rotary club! I can see at least three benefits:
1. Make Rotary more visible; perhaps dissipate some of the "stuffy" image reputation.
2. Generate money for The Rotary Foundation.
3. Create interest in Rotary and potential new members when others see what fun we have together.
How about it -- any creative types out there who would like to develop a fun, yet tasteful, video that might make people laugh, tell a bit of our Rotary story, and generate a lot of YouTube "hits?"
http://www.jkweddingdance.com/
"When Minnesotans Kevin and Jill planned their wedding ceremony, they decided to nix the formal entrance and celebrate with their own crazy dance routine. The choreographed processional to Chris Brown's "Forever" gave them 45 million YouTube hits, PUBLICITY they directed toward a good cause. So far, the couple has raised $26,000 dollars for the Sheila Wellstone Institute."
So - just imagine the impact a of a Fun, creative YouTube video about your Rotary club! I can see at least three benefits:
1. Make Rotary more visible; perhaps dissipate some of the "stuffy" image reputation.
2. Generate money for The Rotary Foundation.
3. Create interest in Rotary and potential new members when others see what fun we have together.
How about it -- any creative types out there who would like to develop a fun, yet tasteful, video that might make people laugh, tell a bit of our Rotary story, and generate a lot of YouTube "hits?"
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Year-End Rotary Awards
Just a reminder about year-end awards for your clubs and district. In addition to the Presidential Citation, there are some other Membership Awards for which many of your clubs will qualify. Below is a summary and the link to find more info and the forms. The dates for submission are just a few weeks off -- if you haven't done so already, it’s time to gather data.
RI Membership Development and Extension Award -- MDEA
Nominators: District governors
Deadline: Beginning 15 May, district governors submit recognition forms to RI.
This district-level certificate program recognizes membership growth in existing clubs, retention of current club members, and the organization of new clubs. Districts that meet their membership goals are also recognized.
RI Recognition of Membership Development Initiatives -- MDI
Nominators: District governors
Deadline: District governors must receive submissions from clubs by 15 April. RI must receive submission forms from district governors by 15 May.
This district-level certificate recognizes clubs for the development and implementation of a creative plan or strategy to support one of the three primary foundations of membership growth and development: retention, recruitment of qualified new members, or the organization of new Rotary clubs.
Both MDEA and MDI forms can be found at http://www.rotary.org/en/Members/GeneralInformation/Awards/Pages/Awardsforclubs.aspx
Though “similar” to the Presidential Citation – the accomplishment of RI President Kenny’s membership goals will result in a special recognition – perhaps even on the stage at the Montreal convention! Check it out;
RI President John Kenny has established the following membership goals for 2009-10:
Club recognition requirements:
- A minimum of one net member increase
- A minimum of 80% retention rate (80% of the same members who were on the roles July 1)
AND certification by the district governor of two of the following achievements:
- Increased percentage of qualified women
- Increased percentage of qualified younger professionals (under age 50)
- Induction of at least one alumna or alumnus of RI or the Rotary Foundation
- Increased diversity of membership (e.g., classification, gender, age, ethnicity)
Clubs should submit their goal results to their district governor by 15 May 2010. Districts should certify the results and submit them to RI, along with their district results, by 22 May,2010. Certification forms are available on
http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/memb_goals09-10_en.pdf
As always, RRIMCs Barb and Judi here to be of any assistance you might need in the area of membership. Please let us know if you need more info or clarification.
RI Membership Development and Extension Award -- MDEA
Nominators: District governors
Deadline: Beginning 15 May, district governors submit recognition forms to RI.
This district-level certificate program recognizes membership growth in existing clubs, retention of current club members, and the organization of new clubs. Districts that meet their membership goals are also recognized.
RI Recognition of Membership Development Initiatives -- MDI
Nominators: District governors
Deadline: District governors must receive submissions from clubs by 15 April. RI must receive submission forms from district governors by 15 May.
This district-level certificate recognizes clubs for the development and implementation of a creative plan or strategy to support one of the three primary foundations of membership growth and development: retention, recruitment of qualified new members, or the organization of new Rotary clubs.
Both MDEA and MDI forms can be found at http://www.rotary.org/en/Members/GeneralInformation/Awards/Pages/Awardsforclubs.aspx
Though “similar” to the Presidential Citation – the accomplishment of RI President Kenny’s membership goals will result in a special recognition – perhaps even on the stage at the Montreal convention! Check it out;
RI President John Kenny has established the following membership goals for 2009-10:
Club recognition requirements:
- A minimum of one net member increase
- A minimum of 80% retention rate (80% of the same members who were on the roles July 1)
AND certification by the district governor of two of the following achievements:
- Increased percentage of qualified women
- Increased percentage of qualified younger professionals (under age 50)
- Induction of at least one alumna or alumnus of RI or the Rotary Foundation
- Increased diversity of membership (e.g., classification, gender, age, ethnicity)
Clubs should submit their goal results to their district governor by 15 May 2010. Districts should certify the results and submit them to RI, along with their district results, by 22 May,2010. Certification forms are available on
http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/memb_goals09-10_en.pdf
As always, RRIMCs Barb and Judi here to be of any assistance you might need in the area of membership. Please let us know if you need more info or clarification.
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