I joined Rotary more than 20 years ago when I was 30.
Because I'm in a profession (Minister of Religion) whose members move frequently, I've been a member of five Rotary clubs in three Districts.
I've been a club president, secretary, director and twice a sergeant-at-arms, including at present.
I'm a Rotarian because I believe in Rotary and, particularly, in the wide range of humanitarian projects supported by Rotary. I'm particularly proud that, during my year as a club president, our club reached its three-year PolioPlus target in a single year.
However, my time as a Rotarian was interrupted on two separate occasions (in each case for more than two years) when I had to make the sad decision that ‘‘I can't afford, financially, to be a Rotarian at the moment’’.
Annual dues were never the issue. Weekly meeting expenses were.
In my current club, I've made the conscious decision to determine at the beginning of each Rotary year, what level of club attendance I can maintain while still being able to afford my Rotary membership.
At present my affordable level of attendance is 70 per cent. I'm very grateful to the various e-clubs which now enable me to have an attendance level much better than 70 per cent while still being able to afford to be a Rotarian.
Most of the time, I avoid the more expensive meeting nights such as changeovers. The District Conference is just out of the question. I'm not alone here. Most Rotary clubs like to have clergy, teachers, police officers and members of similarly community-oriented but modestly-paid professions in their membership.
However, many Rotary clubs have weekly meeting expenses that are far more appropriate to a surgeon or barrister than they are to the local constable or parish priest.
I believe Rotary's falling membership levels can be credited to the increasing expense of Rotary membership, far more than any other cause.
I strongly believe that we need to combat any suggestion that Rotary is only for the well-heeled.
I believe that all clubs and Districts (as well as Rotary International) need to work to ensure that Rotary membership is not only affordable by the successful QC, but also by the teacher or nurse who would also be a worthy Rotarian.
Reverend Doctor Bob Faser,
Rotary Club of Mount Martha, Vic. |
Piece of cake, or Murphy’s Law
We have probably all, at some time, attributed disasters, great or small, to Murphy's Law. Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.
It may be funny, but as with all good humour, there is a strong element of truth in it. Of course, we can never completely eliminate the risk of things going wrong, but there is much that we can do to reduce the possiblity of Murphy's Law turning the project that was supposed to be a "piece of cake" into a disaster.
So how do we identify the potential "downsides' in Rotary projects and activities, and how do we plan to prevent them?
It was with that objective in mind that the then District 9940 Governor Allan Birrell set up a committee charged with producing a Risk Management Plan, initially for District committees, and subsequently to be offered to clubs for their use as well.
The potential "downsides" that the District 9940 committee categorised were:
1. Public liability risk that may (or may not) be insured, such as injury, property damage, or some liability that might arise through actual or perceived negligence.
2. Business risk, being the risk that a project goal such as making money is not achieved.
3. Risk of personal injury or sickness of a Rotarian or associate while on Rotary duty.
4. Risk of damage to Rotary's reputation or loss of public goodwill.
Risk Management is a process that rank risks according to probability and according to consequences, and to ensure that an activity is planned and operated to Best Practice principles. It may sound somewhat complicated and formidable, but in reality it is a straightforward and effective discipline.
Rotarians should be interested in Risk Management because it provides them with a structured way to deal with the potential downsides and leaves their intellect more freedom to do the fun stuff - the stuff that will turn your vision into results.
With the support of then District Governor Barbara Williams, the committee completed its task of producing a Risk Management Manual. Interest has been shown from other Districts in New Zealand and Australia. Chapters may be downloaded from www.rotary9940.org.nz. A CD may be obtained at a nominal cost by contacting Colin Alford at alford.c@xtra.co.nz
Colin Alford
District 9940 Risk Management
Commitee Chair |
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