Dave Bradshaw in Nigeria, the Club Assembly & the DG's Visit

Last Week
David Bradshaw told us about his very interesting Rotary Friendship Exchange visit to Nigeria....the visas were more than the air fare!
It sounded quite grueling, a bit like keeping up with a GSE team and hot and humid but very hospitable people which really made it worthwhile.
Rotary in Nigeria is obviously more for the very rich compared to here and it's also very active.  At the Club Assembly we agreed to support the dictionary project that Nigeria had approached us to contribute $500 towards a Global Grant.
David obviously had a good time though we teased him a bit about his photos as we were sure he had only been to Limpopo.


Club Assembly

Jean Bernardo concentrates on the Youth presentation

Lyn Collocott, seriously inscribing the minutes

Many thanks for your support for the Board and also the projects  that were suggested in addition to the ones that are ongoing.  I have circulated the minutes and the presentations, where appropriate, to everyone.  The drop in value of the Rand has meant that we have had to put subs up but by a minimal amount as other items of club expenditure will effectively subsidise them as we have , hopefully, over budgeted on some club expenditure.  As you know we are not allowed to fund club expenses out of money raised which is why we have a separate projects account.

Following the Club Assembly we will circulate a breakdown of committees, their chairmen and the projects etc that they will be involved with.  You must chose a committee where you would like to be involved, especially if there is a specific project which appeals to you and you can drive it.  As you know everyone has to be on a committee which is a requirement of membership.  We are making this easier by making the Business Meeting a meeting where you sit in committees and effectively have a committee meeting and a report back.

Rotary Arts Festival
Mark Franklin has sent out the final report on the Rotary Arts Festival to his committee.  I have already congratulated him and the committee, on behalf of the club, on their success.  I will ask him to give a brief report back this week at Rotary.  A big thank you to everyone who helped, some of you giving up a huge amount of time.  Without Rotarians and Anns, often stepping into the breech where necessary, the Art Festival wouldn't be possible.  The Club can't thank you enough.

Firlands Fete
Congratulations everyone on filling up the roster.

The Visit by District Governor Grant Daly
There will be quite a turn out for this as DGE Jankees Sligcher will be joining us in order to pick up tips for next year as well as DGR Christopher Thompson and many of our Anns and possibly PDGA Janet Callard.

Welcome to you all.

You can now have a bit of fun working out what the acronyms are or maybe what they should be!

Here's Nadine and Grant Daly without the bling and looking better for it.

A member of Rotaract, and Rotary too

Alexandria Ritchie (seated under banner), with the Rotaract Club of John Tyler Community College.

By Alexandria Ritchie, a member of the Rotaract Club of Virginia Commonwealth University and the Rotary Club of James River, Richmond, Virginia, USA

Recently, two Rotary friends shared with me the decision taken by the Council on Legislation to allow Rotaractors to also join Rotary. (The Council is where Rotary members gather every three years to discuss changes to the policies governing our organization.)

So I thought I’d give it a try. I am 21, and now also a member of the Rotary Club of James River. Let me tell you a little bit about my experience in Rotary and its young leaders programs from the perspective of a brand new young Rotarian.

My path to Rotary
I joined Rotaract after being a member of my high school’s Interact club. I founded a Rotaract chapter on my campus at John Tyler Community College and have been a loyal member of Rotaract ever since. It’s changed my life. I now represent my entire district as a district Rotaract representative.

How did I make the decision to join a Rotary club? The answer is simple. My sponsor clubs are amazing. We are a family and my Rotary journey wouldn’t be as fulfilling without them.

When I attended the Rotaract Preconvention in Seoul, Korea, this past May, I realized that we needed a Rotaract representative on the RI Board. Rotaract needs a voice — a direct connection to the Rotarians that do so much good for the organization and for the world. This idea might be a lot to ask. [Currently, the RI Bylaws provide for a standing committee, the Rotaract and Interact Committee, which includes at least three Rotaractors.] However, I would encourage clubs to give Rotaract a voice, at the club level, in your districts. This can set the ball in motion to greater representation in the organization overall.

Beyond sponsorship
If your club has a Rotaract club, do more than just sponsor them. Invite them to meetings and projects. Really get to know them. Attend their meetings. Allow the president of the Rotaract Club to serve as a non-voting member on your club’s board. I have encouraged Rotary members to try this in my district and it has worked well.

More importantly, invite them to things at the district level. Let them know they have a part to play in Rotary. Let them feel the power of our organization. Introduce them to the district governor, encourage them to attend conferences, seminars, and events with you.

If we do this together, Rotaract will grow. More Rotaractors will join Rotary which is truly the most important goal a sponsor club could have.