Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Empowered families strengthen Rotary image - Week of January 7, 2008


Empowered families strengthen Rotary image – Celebrate the family!
By Maureen Vaught
Rotary International News - 10 December 2007

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Note: This club has/had only 10 members! If a club of this size can make a difference, then so can we! Share Rotary!

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After 75 years, the Rotary Club of Garrettsville-Hiram faced a declining membership and dwindling enthusiasm. But by celebrating family, the club’s 10 members not only strengthened their club, they also helped their community.

Empower the Family Service Project. The Empower the Family service project, now in its fifth year, supports activities that engage and honor families while enhancing Rotary’s image. Its centerpiece is the annual Family Week Celebration, which includes a music festival, carnival, and school-sponsored art, essay, and speech contests. In addition, residents of this small Ohio, USA, town are encouraged to Put Family First one evening and spend time exclusively with their families.

According to club member Amy Crawford, the project has succeeded on many levels:

-- “We have more community involvement with the club.
-- We’ve brought people from surrounding areas together.
-- And we’ve attracted newer, younger members with children of their own to the club.”

Community involvement. It’s also cultivated working relationships between club members and community leaders. Local businesses, churches, governments, libraries, and schools collaborate with the club to sponsor activities throughout the week.

World Peace Parents. Convinced of the project’s global appeal to families and Rotarians alike, Vibert Kesler, chair of the first Family Week Celebration and a former member of the Garrettsville-Hiram club, created World Peace Parents in 2003. This nonprofit organization helps Rotary clubs worldwide carry out similar events in their communities.

To date, clubs in Minnesota and Pennsylvania, USA, have organized family celebrations. And the Rotary clubs of Bombay Bandra, Maharashtra, India, and Muyenga and Port-Bell, Uganda, are working with World Peace Parents to adapt the concept to their cultures.

“This program works especially well for smaller communities and smaller clubs,” Kesler says. “It can really rejuvenate your club.”

Learn more

Happy New Year - Begin on a Positive Note!


...for the week of January 1, 2008

We can begin the New Year on a “Positive note.”

Please click on the link below to open the page. Or, if that does not work in your email program, copy the link (Ctrl+C) and paste into your browser’s address line.


Click here to view an inspiring story!


A positive note!

Training, Training, Training - Week of December 10, 2007



TRAINING, TRAINING, TRAINING
Rotary International provides much training for Rotarians.

Sign up to

-- attend a seminar
-- enjoy the fellowship, and
-- learn about Rotary!


District leadership seminar

-- At the district leadership seminar, Rotarians learn how to serve Rotary beyond the club level and how to become the next generation of Rotary leaders.

District assembly

-- The District Assembly prepares incoming club leaders for their year in office.
-- The meeting is also an opportunity for club leaders to meet with district leaders (the district governor-elect, incoming assistant governors, and district committees) who will support club projects and activities.
-- Who participates: Incoming club leaders – presidents-elect and incoming secretaries, treasurers, and committee members

District conference

-- The purpose of the district conference is to advance the Object of Rotary through fellowship, inspirational addresses, and the discussion of matters of importance to Rotary clubs and Rotary International.
-- The conference showcases Rotary programs and successful district and club activities.
-- For Rotarians, the conference is an inspirational celebration and an opportunity to enjoy fellowship.
-- Who participates: All Rotarians

District membership seminar

-- The district membership seminar prepares club and district leaders to support membership activities, such as recruiting and retaining members.

District Rotary Foundation seminar

-- The district Rotary Foundation seminar emphasizes the benefits of involvement in The Rotary Foundation and outlines the Foundation’s programs and policies.
-- Attendees get answers to their Foundation questions and updates on policy changes and goals for the year.
-- They also learn about ways to recognize individuals and clubs in their district for outstanding Foundation contributions.

Presidents-elect training seminar (PETS)

-- The presidents-elect training seminar helps presidents-elect from the more than 32,000 Rotary clubs worldwide to prepare for their terms.
-- Incoming club presidents learn about their roles and responsibilities, goal setting, club administration, and member recruitment, education, and retention.
-- The meeting is an opportunity for incoming club presidents to build strong working relationships with their district governor-elect and incoming assistant governors.