District Governor’s Newsletter

INTRODUCTION:

Well, the 2008-2009 Rotary Year is here and I have started my club visits. This has been an enlightening and fun experience. Clearly the best part of being Governor. By the end of July, I will have completed 25 visits all over our district. As I have traveled the district it is obvious that we live in a beautiful part of the world.  During this year, I will use this newsletter to talk about my priorities and areas of interest, as well as, highlighting the success stories that you send me.  I want to share ideas about membership growth and retention, the Rotary Foundation and PolioPlus Challenge, strengthening our clubs and district, effectively using the Website, effective Public Relations and turning challenges into opportunities for service. I, of course, will discuss the theme “Make Dreams Real” and my sub-theme “Dream Big” and RI President Lee’s focus on reducing child mortality.

DISTRICT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Administration

• Strengthen clubs and address leadership continuity by promoting the Club Leadership Plan and promotion of the Presidential Citation
• Improve Training and increase Rotary knowledge at the District and club level
• Utilize Website to replace the district directory and establish the website as a vital source of Rotary Information
• Develop new district and club leaders
• Increase District Efficiency

Membership

• Increase District Membership by 10%
• Club Extension: two new clubs in District
• Conduct a minimum of two Membership Seminars
• Obtain Club Membership Chair contact information from each club
• Distribute best practice information thru Governor’s Newsletter and Membership Minute

Our Rotary Foundation

• Donation to Polio Challenge - $65,000 district wide, average $1,000 per club, encourage community and district PolioPlus fundraisers
• Increase donation level per member to $100, $220,000 district wide
• Increase donations to Permanent Fund thru promotion of Benefactor, Bequest Society and Major Donor Programs at special Foundation events
• Obtain Club Foundation Chair contact information for each club
• Recognize Foundation donors
• Promote Foundation educational Programs

Service Projects

• Promote club projects in their communities utilizing District Simplified Grants
• Promote club international projects with DDF matching grants
• Focus community and international humanitarian programs on reducing infant mortality
• Grow Youth Exchange club participation

Public Relations

• Promote effective club and district Public Relations initiatives thru education
• Support 2010 Montreal Convention and HOC Committee
• Promote 2009 Annual Conference of the USA-Canada Youth Exchange Network in Montreal

ETHICS CORNER:

Each day remember the Four Way Test:

• Is it the TRUTH?
• Is it FAIR to All Concerned?
• Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
• Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

Rationalization is the enemy of any ethical code. Circumstances will challenge our resolve.

Michael Josephson of Character Counts tells us:  You Don’t Have to Be Perfect

Implicit in the question is the idea that if you’re not perfect, you have no qualifications or moral standing to teach, preach, or punish others. That’s simply not true. Of course, inconsistencies between our words and personal conduct will undermine our credibility and give others an excuse to reject our message, but valid and valuable lessons can still be taught by imperfect people. We shouldn’t give up on our pursuit of perfection, but we also shouldn’t wait till we’re perfect to teach what we know and believe is right.”

DISTRICT WEBSITE NEWS - www.rotary7040.com 

During 2008-2009 we have plans for further improvements to the Website.  I decided that this year we would not publish a District Directory.  Many Districts have not published a directory of years.  We will be adding the directory functions onto the website. As this is done, I ask that you be patient. Your support is needed.

To access and update member information one must be a District 7040 Rotarian and register with the email address which is recorded on a club roster in the club database. The President, President-Elect, Secretary and eSecretary (position description at http://www.rotary7040.com/press/webmaster/), all designated in the Club Profile, are able to edit other members profiles, in addition to the club profile and club events.

Some Current Functions (some of these functions require members be registered)

• Governor’s Calendar
• International, Zone, District and Club Events
• Club profiles
• Club Rosters
• Rotary Information
• Link to club websites
• Group emailing from club roster data
• Member look-up
• List of AGs and their Clubs
• Governor’s Official Visits
• Governor’s, WCS, Webmasters, Conference Newsletters
• List of Past District Governors

Under Development

• List of District Committee Chairs
• District Goals and Objectives
• Directory to find contact information for District and Club officials

Please let us know how the website might be more helpful.

MEMBERSHIP

My goal for membership net growth is 10% or approximately 225 new member and two new clubs.  We are actively working on a new club in Orleans, Ontario, thanks to the efforts of PDG Russ Hicks. I don’t think we have ever had a net district increase of 225.  According to Membership Chair, Bob Hanna (bob.hanna@rotary7040.com), the 2007-08 net increase was +66, a great achievement.  But look at the numbers closely.  While we added 269 new Rotarians, we lost 203.  In 2008-2009, lets continue to recruit new Rotarians, but also concentrate on keeping those we already have.  Please attend an upcoming Membership Seminars:

• Montreal (2 seminars, French and English): August 23rd,  9am to 2:30 pm, Laval Community Centre, 3235 East St.-Martin Bvld., Laval, QC
• Clayton, NY: September 13th, 9:30 am to 1:30 pm, Clayton Opera House, 405 Riverside Dr. Clayton, NY
• Ottawa (Nepean): November 19th, details to follow

A related note, recently someone lamented that no one was looking at the Attendance numbers anymore.  Well, I do and you should too.  Low attendance could very well indicate a problem; boring programs, poor food or bad venue.  It means that somehow the expectations of your members are not being met. Maybe a lack of fellowship. Some of those not attending meetings are those leaving Rotary.  Find out what is going on.  Send in those Attendance Reports. I will be watching.  Send them to your AG too.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

I recently met with District PR Chair Chris Cochrane and we have some ideas for this year, but we need your help.  Rotary International is again offering PR Grants up to $10,000 and we want to take advantage of this opportunity.  These are again district level grants and Chris and I are asking for your ideas.  In the past, the grants have been used to place RI produced television and radio public service messages, billboards, banners, and newspaper supplements.  The district must contribute one-third the total PR Grant amount.  We must submit our application by 1 October 2008.  We would like ideas from clubs by 1 September to provide time to prepare the application for submittal.  Please submit your ideas to chris@cochrane.net or peter.bashaw@rotary7040.com .

DISTRICT CONFERENCE

The 2008 District 7040 Conference will be at Nav Canada Conference Centre ( http://conference.navcanada.ca/) in Cornwall, Ontario on October 17, 18 and 19 October, 2008.  I know you are looking to register and you will be able to do so soon.  We are talking with Nav Canada to  register directly with them, but have not completed the arrangements yet.  Keep watching the website for information and the new Conference Newsletter (http://www.rotary7040.com/press/conference_en or http://www.rotary7040.com/press/conference_fr) .  Refer questions to Conference Chair Kathy Kelly-Ori at stellmarksolve@aol.com .

Good news, Dick Pound has confirmed that he will be our keynote speaker at Lunch on Saturday.  He will also participate in the youth program that afternoon.  For those who are not familiar with the Olympics, Dick Pound has been a Canadian member of the International Olympic Committee for 20 years, just resigned in 2007 as head of the World Anti-Doping Agency,  and author of the book “Inside Dope” . His topic will be “Ethics and Dope in Sports”.

SCHEDULE OF CLUB VISITS

ROTARY LINKS

• Rotary International: http://www.rotary.org
• E-Clubs:  http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/eclub_list.pdf
• Rotary Zone 22:  http://www.clubrunner.ca/zprg/dxhome/_home.aspx?zid=22
• Rotary Zone 31/32:  http://www.rotaryzones31-32.org/