FROM
WHERE I SIT
by Bob Aitken
Managing Editor
Rotary Down Under |
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Maintaining
membership numbers continues to be the scourge of most Rotary
club presidents. Most thinking Rotarians realise that membership
growth depends on members inviting business associates and acquaintances
to attend their Rotary clubs. Not enough Rotarians make the effort
to extend such an invitation. Rotary Down Under has a vested interest
in maintaining Rotary membership in R.I. Zones 7 and 8. Our magazine
subscriptions have fallen by almost 4,000 since 1996 and this
equals a compounded value of more than $A400,000. Thus, it is
not
surprising that ways of countering this downturn has occupied
a great deal of discussion and planning in the past 12 months.
R.I.
Past Director Barry Thompson, of the Rotary Club of Padstow, N.S.W.
has inherited the R.I. “hot seat” this Rotary year as
Membership Chairman (see pages 12, 13 and 14 Rotary Down Under,
December 2003/January 2004). Several members of his team in this
region – PDGs Jim Rayner of the Rotary Club of Waimate, N.Z.,
and Greg Ross, of the Rotary Club of Balwyn, Vic. – have
made significant contributions at recent Institutes and I am grateful
for the wise counsel and contribution of PDG Grahame Jones, of
the Rotary Club of Goulburn, N.S.W. The end result of such discussions
is that Rotary Down Under has “bitten the bullet” and
sponsored a region-wide membership initiative. One sample membership
kit will be mailed to every Rotary club in the 29 Districts Down
Under this month. With support of the District governors and District
governors elect, we believe Rotary clubs will accept the challenge
and effectively launch the program.
The
plan DOES work. It has been successfully trialled by several clubs.
Let’s achieve real membership growth in the ANZO area as
we move into Rotary’s Centennial celebrations!
Turn
to pages 13,14 and
15 for a special message from R.I. Membership
Chairman Barry Thompson.
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President
Michelle Hanlon, centre, of the Rotary Club of Drury, N.Z., presents
Salvation Army officers Cheryl Nicholson and Ken Smith with the
suitably-tagged charity van. |
Drury
sponsors van for Salvos: The Rotary Club of Drury, N.Z., is not
letting the grass grow under its feet this Rotary year. Most Rotary
clubs wait until the end of the year for dispersion of hard-earned funds,
but Drury’s President Michelle Hanlon presented the Salvation Army
with a van in November. The van cost $NZ20,000 and was financed by initial
funds from the annual playhouse raffle.
Rossmoyne’s
International Night: Slovenia, Sri Lanka and Estonia were the three
nations themed in an international night conducted by the Rotary Club
of Rossmoyne, W.A. Club members from the three countries organised the
program, all arriving in “home country” national dress. Guest
speakers for the evening were Leo and Adele Masten, originally from
Slovenia, Sasira and Pat Elangasinghe from Sri Lanka and Harald and
Maret Pallo from Estonia. With 12 nationalities in the club, Rossmoyne
is proud of its compatibility and the rich cultural diversity members
bring to the Australian community. President Charlie Thorn set the seal
on the evening by arriving in typical Aussie “surfie” dress!
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Three
of the female guest speakers at the Rotary Club of Rossmoyne’s
international night were , from left Maret Pallo from Estonia,
Pat Elangasinghe from Sri Lanka and Adele Masten from Slovenia.
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Roosmoyne Club President
Charlie Thorn - in his “national” dress! |
Troy
Cassar-Daley for breakfast: The Rotary Club of Summerland
Sunrise, N.S.W., scored a wonderful public relations hit for Rotary
when they invited top Aussie country music personality and all-round
good bloke Troy Cassar-Daley to breakfast in Magellan Street,
Lismore, N.S.W., recently. Early morning workers could not believe
their luck and gladly donated a gold coin to enjoy the promotion.
Troy
sang, signed autographs, chatted with everyone and raised $A400
for the Children’s Ward at Lismore Base Hospital in just
over an hour. He also took time out to put on an impromptu concert
for the children at the hospital.
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