Category Archives: Membership

District 7780 Membership Seminar in Eliot Maine

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IMG_9148 IMG_9152It’s a fabulous Friday in Eliot, ME at the Regatta Banquet Center. Look at this great group of Rotarians that are attending the Membership Seminar for District 7780. It’s my pleasure to be spending this afternoon with them presenting on Public Image and Social Media.

The Membership seminar is designed for Rotarians that are interested in improving their club’s membership engagement and outreach.

Keynote Speaker Brad Howard, will offer new strategies to the age-old topic of Membership when he answers the question, “Why Rotary?”  Attendees will walk away with a new perspective on membership while enjoying fellowship District 7780 style.

FYI: This post was done real time in front of 60+ attendees during the Membership Seminar to show the attendees what is possible.

Council of Governors meet to address the challenges of club membership

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The Council of Governors (past, present and future) met yesterday in Stratford Connecticut with Rotary International Member Guru Brad Howard to discuss ways of helping Rotary Clubs sustain and grow their membership. The meeting was a free flowing open dialog where concerned Governors  from both Connecticut Districts (7890 & 7980) rolled up their sleeves to brainstorm solutions  to help our Rotary Clubs.

Brad drove home several key membership points to our group:

  • RI has had 1.2 million members since 1997
  • Within the past 10 years RI has brought in 1.2 million members
  • As an organization we have no problem bringing people in the front door, we just aren’t very good at protecting the backdoor

Some profound implications of these points are:

  • We have to put greater focus on membership preservation through satisfaction than on new member attraction (recruitment)
  • Given our worldwide membership churn it is critically important that we recognize the face and the needs of our membership are very different than they were just 10 years ago. We have to adapt to this new reality by running our districts and clubs as it is 2013 moving towards 2020 rather than 1905 moving towards 2013.
  • Rotary clubs must be given the flexibility to really think and act outside of the box and as district leaders we must help them in those endeavors

Brad also challenged us with a critically important question to ponder: Are we a service organization with members or are we a membership organization that does service?

It’s no secret that Membership is the primary goal of our district this year. In particular our goal is to help our clubs to maintain the right quality and the right size membership which will allow them to achieve the goals which are important to them.

I want to personally thank the following Governors for participating yesterday and for being part of this important dialog:

  • Pam Akins
  • Brian Amey
  • John Annick
  • Michael Barnet (7890)
  • Rick Benson
  • Alan Hurst
  • Sue Klock (7890)
  • Mac Leask
  • Ernie Luise
  • Mukund Nori
  • Rupi Rupwani
  • Gerry Tom

And our course….Brad Howard.

So now back to that question: Are we a service organization with members or are we a membership organization that does service?

What do you think?

 

District 7980 Events Today @ Oronoque Country Club

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Click on image for larger size

Click on image for larger size

A big double header of Club & District leadership events at the Oronoque Country Club in Stratford CT today as we hold two important events:

1) College of Governors Leadership Luncheon (12 – 1:30pm)

2) Council of Presidents Leadership Seminar (5:30 – 8:30pm)

We have arranged to have Brad Howard, RI’s expert on Membership, as a featured speaker for both of these events. We thought it best to bring in the big membership gun from Rotary International given our Districtwide focus on membership this year. Besides being the big brain in membership, Brad is an informative and engaging speaker. We are honored and excited to have him join us.

I hope to see all Governor’s at the lunch meeting and all Club Presidents at the Dinner. It will be well worth the time and the small fee.

Rick Bassett, DG

The Madison Rotary Club inducts 2 new members

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New Madison Rotarians Dianne and Dave

New Madison Rotarians Dianne and Dave

Past Assistant Governor Jim Satterwhite used his Rotary Superpowers this week and inducted 2 new quality Rotarians (Dianne Berg and Dave Katz)  into the Madison Rotary Club.

Congratulations to Diane and Dave and welcome to our D7980 Rotary Family!!!

A special thank you to the sponsors for brining in these great members.

Source: 9/27 Madisonian 

Official Visit #33 – Danbury Rotary Club Inducts 2 new members

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Daryle Dennis and Janice Perna-Nicholasare inducted into the Club

Daryle Dennis (center right) and Janice Perna-Nicholas (center left) are inducted into the Club with their sponsors standing by their sides

Daryle Dennis (Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at  Western Connecticut State University) and Janice Perna-Nicholas (manager of  the Ethan Allen Hotel) were inducted as the newest members of Rotary today during the official visit.

The Danbury Rotary Club has been in existence since 1926 and currently (as of 2 hours ago) has 33 members.

The club is famously recognized for it’s generous  scholarships to students that attend Western Connecticut State University or Henry Abbott Technical High School.  Scholarships are given from the club’s foundation which earns money from the club’s annual car raffle.

The Danbury Rotary Club is also one the district leaders in the Amber Alert ID program. They tirelessly run many sessions and participate in the BIG E ID drive each year.

President Mark and his board have 3 goals for the club this year:

  1. Increase membership
  2. Launch a new major fundraiser
  3. Increase attendance at the weekly meetings

The Danbury Rotary Club is home to Paula Greenberg and Ralph Welsh who both serve on the District Public Relations committee. Besides being the Beacon Editor Ralph is also the Editor of The Spoke, the club’s weekly newsletter.

The Danbury Rotary Club meets at the Ethan Allen Inn @ 21 Lake Avenue Extension, Danbury, CT on Wednesday’s for lunch. It is a beautiful facility with a great meal along with warm and inviting Rotarians. Be sure to wear your Rotary pin to the meeting or be prepared to pay a fine.

North Haven Rotary Inducts Ian Brooks this morning

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The North Haven Rotary Club has inducted Ian Brooks as their newest member in front of a near sell-out crowd at the breakfast meeting this morning that included his wife Beth. Beth was surprised to learn that she and Ian will be hosting a welcome fellowship at their home soon. Upon sensing a runaway alcohol bill;  Ian quickly replied that they live in a Dry State.

Ian was sponsored by President-elect Nick D’Ambrosia who had the honor of ‘pinning’ Ian. Ian was beginning to wonder if the Club was ever going to let him in as he has been attending regularly for the past three months. We told him that three months was a drop in the bucket compared to us spending every Tuesday morning in perpetuity together…..it’s important to keep things in perspective.

Congratulations to Ian Brooks on becoming a Rotarian and welcome to Beth Brooks as a member of our Rotary family. We are honored to have both of you.

Photos by:  David P. Marchesseault