Monday, May 24, 2010

"AS I WAS SAYING...." by Past President Cliff

New Book -- "As I Was Saying..."
It has been a pleasant surprise to see how many Rotarians have been reading my new book, "As I Was Saying..." a collection of my favorite speeches and writings.

However, a good many people have asked were it can be found? Although, Amazon and other publishers have it, the Moraga Rotary Club has a special price of $13 (including tax and shipping in the United States.) Outside the US it costs about 10 dollars extra to mail. So, a check for $13 payable to "Rotary Book" sent to Moraga Rotary Club, P.O. Box 122, Moraga, CA 94556 is all that is needed. All of the proceeds go to The Rotary Foundation and other Rotary funds.

I am not a book seller, so I am not skilled in getting the information distributed. If you passed the word to your Rotary friends, it would be appreciated.

Regards,
Cliff Dochterman, R.I. Pres. 1992-93

Thursday, May 13, 2010

New club brochure templates available

A new club brochure kit was developed to help Rotarians advertise Rotary clubs and their service activities in the community.

The kit contains files in three different formats (InDesign, PDF, and Word) and three distinct designs that can be adapted to incorporate club-specific information. The kit also includes a Club Membership Inquiry Form that can be used alone or in combination with the brochures.

Consult the read me file in the kit for further information. If you’ll be working with InDesign files, you will also need to download images.

http://www.rotary.org/en/Members/RunningAClub/Announcements/Pages/100420_announce_newclubbrochuretemplates.aspx?fb

Sunday, May 2, 2010

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT…..


Rotary was started in 1905


To put in perspective how things have changed in the last century, here are some statistics for the year 1909:


The average life expectancy for men was 47 years.

Fuel for a car was sold in drug stores only.

Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.

Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.

There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles of paved roads.

The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.

The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower !

The average US wage in 1909 was 22 cents per hour.

The average US worker made between $200 and $400 per year.

A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year.

A dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year,
and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.

More than 95 percent of all births took place at HOME.

Ninety percent of all Doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION!

Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press AND the government as 'substandard.'

Sugar cost four cents a pound.

Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.

Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.

Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.

The Five leading causes of death were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke

The American flag had 45 stars.

The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was only 30!

Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented yet.

There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.

Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write and only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.

Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.

This was “pasted” here without my personally typing it.
From here, others all over the WORLD will read it - all in a matter of seconds!

What a difference a century has made
….and what a difference Rotary has made in our world!
Try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years
….and what more impact Rotary will have upon world conditions.


Who will YOU invite to join you in Rotary service?

Sunday, April 25, 2010

What's a Rotary Coordinator??

Rotary coordinators (RCs) serve as a resource on Rotary International for districts and clubs, working in partnership with their zone’s RI director, regional Rotary Foundation coordinator, and district governors.

RCs are trained in and knowledgeable about all aspects of RI. By planning and conducting district and regional seminars and workshops with the support of district leaders, RCs

* Inform Rotarians about RI programs and motivate them to participate
* Share ideas, success stories, and best practices to motivate club and district leaders
* Increase membership by creating stronger and more effective clubs
* Serve as an RI resource in the field, as well as a consultant, adviser, mentor, and catalyst for change
* Advocate creative approaches that strengthen clubs, programs, and public image
* Identify resources and connect people
* Encourage long-range planning at the club and district levels
* Promote the core values of RI
* Establish communication tools that work regularly, in all directions
* Promote the RI Convention

The Rotary coordinators program will begin 1 July.

The Rotary Coordinator for Zone 25 is Judi Beard-Strubing (judi5110@comcast.net)

The Rotary Coordinator for Zone 26 is Don Kremer (dekremer@pacbell.net)

http://www.rotary.org/en/Members/RunningADistrict/Rotarycoordinators/Pages/ridefault.aspx

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Eco-clubs attract young members

By Arnold R. Grahl
Rotary International News -- 21 April 2010


A growing number of Rotary clubs have found that focusing on the environment helps them bring in new members and gain visibility in the community.

The Rotary Club of Duluth Superior Eco , Minnesota, USA, was chartered in November 2008 with the purpose of attracting younger people by being project oriented and environmentally minded.

Club president Marti Buscaglia says the club founders reasoned that young people would be more likely to have time on their hands than disposable income, and would be more engaged if they could take part in hands-on projects for a cause they felt strongly about. The club now has 54 members, most under the age of 40, and mostly women.

"The eco brings them in, and then they learn more about Rotary," says Buscaglia. "It's a good introduction to Rotary for younger people. They know they are going to be involved in something they personally care about."

Buscaglia says conducting green projects has also given the club increased media coverage. "It's a hot topic right now, something everyone is reporting on," she says. For Earth Day, 22 April, the club is planning a large beach-cleaning project. Members have also planted trees and pulled buckthorn.

The Duluth Superior Eco club has caught the attention of other clubs. Kay Biga, secretary and cofounder, says she has heard from several clubs interested in following its model. The success is contagious, she says.

"Having eco in the name sends a message that we are different from other clubs in town," Biga says. "We are going to attract more younger people because the environment is very appealing to them. I also like themes. It seems people really gravitate to something if there is a theme involved to direct your activities."

Robert Hunt, who now lives in Florida but often attended club meetings in Duluth, took the concept with him to the Rotary Club of East Manatee, where he serves as club president. Hunt says that being green has helped the club attract members, make a lasting impact on the community, and gain exposure for Rotary.

"Prospective members who have the same mindset will naturally be drawn to the prestige of what an eco-club can offer them," he explains. "As we build more awareness, education, and identity, the membership will naturally increase."

The East Manatee club conducts a road cleanup every three months, sorting out anything that can be recycled. It also held a successful shred-a-thon in March, encouraging community members to bring in old documents to be shredded and recycled. During a fall festival, club members collected hundreds of disposable plastic bottles in special containers they provided for the event.

Biga sees more and more service organizations adopting an environmental slant. "Green products are everywhere," she says. "Everyone is becoming environmentally conscious. Service organizations have to be on board with the trends and with what's appealing to people."

Does your club conduct environmental projects? What is your club doing for Earth Day?

http://www.rotary.org/en/MediaAndNews/News/Pages/100421_news_ecoclubs.aspx

Monday, April 19, 2010

Is Rotary membership "STABLE" at 1.2 million?

In response to recent comment by a Rotary colleague about Rotary doubling to 1.2 million........yes, BUT, a startling statistic that I just learned when I was in Chicago for Rotary Coordinator training in February --

7 years ago, Rotary had approximately 1.2 million members......
Currently we are STILL approximately 1.2 million members........
Does that indicate we're "stable?"
......Well, no, because in that same 7 year period we INDUCTED 1.2 million members!!

Another statistic -- 40% of Rotarians worldwide have been in Rotary less than 3 years!

(To examine this at your own club level, sit down with your club secretary and ask him or her to show you the records for the last 5 years -- how many (and who?) were inducted and how many were terminated. Then compare a club roster from 5 years ago to your current club roster. I'd be very interested in what you find by looking at your own club.)

We seem to know how to "recruit" but, by and large, we don't know how to "keep" members once they come into our ranks.

This could be a topic for a whole seminar or workshop, but it means we all need to take a look at how well we're educating our prospects BEFORE inducting them, how well we continue that education AFTER their inducted, and do we give them "value" for the time and money they give to Rotary? Are we finding out what THEY expect from Rotary?

All this leads into RIPE Ray's plan to develop stronger Rotary clubs -- "Bigger, Better, Bolder" --to get more information and "action steps," take advantage of the Zone Assemblies coming to a convenient location near you in July or August -- put on by your very own Zone Rotary Coordinator and Foundation Coordinator.

July 10 D5020 and D5030 and inviting D5080 (probably Seattle area)

July 17 D5130, D5150, D5160 and inviting D5180 (someplace north of Bay Area)

July 24 D5100 and D5110 (expected to be in Salem area)

Aug 14 D5080 (Spokane)

Aug 21 D5180 and D5190 (probably Reno)

Friday, April 16, 2010

Assistant governors: prepare for final club visits

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.