White River Rotary - Newsletter - Current (Jul 17, 2018)

Remember: Scott and Jay (Parks and Rec.) would like a good representation of the White River Rotary Club to show up for a Photo Op at the Town Hall, at 1:00 PM this coming Friday, July 20.

Our Meeting:

Opening:

The Pledge to the Flag was led by President Elect Jeremy. The song "America the Beautiful" was led by Phil.

Guests:

Jim Shibles

Visiting Rotarians:

Jim Shibles is a former Rotarian

New Member Induction:

Stephen Dotson was welcomed into the White River Club by Membership Chair, Phil and Sponsor, Gayle. Gayle pinned Stephen with a new Rotary Pin and Phil presented him with a new badge (provided by Secretary Margo), and a new member kit with a membership certificate. All Rotarians present then passed by Stephen and shook his hand to welcome him into the club.

Happy Dollars: Rotarian Ray, Kangaroo Judge, served as Sergeant-at-Arms.

We were happy to see him from being absent for awhile!

The following Rotarians were happy because:

* Stephen - he is glad to be a member of our club

* Phil - there is a little controversy concerning membership categories as it is catching members attention and all are thinking about the need to recruit.

* Nancy - her voice problem is going to be taken care of; she can welcome Stephen Dotson.

* Chip - he was happy last week. (Reason: The writer did not hear, The notetaker did not note.)

* Dave L - he had a Wedding Anniversary. See below:

* Aaron - he is happy to see Jim Shibles

* Jim (Shibles) - he has been showing a property for a good length of time and finally got an offer to purchase.

* George - donated but was not clear if he was happy.

* Jeremy - was happy

* Brad - his daughter is back from Kansas and will be taking more "stuff" out of the house to take back with her. (Did not sound like he was suffering from the "empty nest syndrome")

* Jim R - he went to a Bluegrass Festival and had a great time.

* Ray - he had three grandchildren visiting him and Sue for 1.5 weeks; (Ray said something about being retired allowed one to provide day care. However, the writer is sure that he enjoyed every minute.); happy because the new email is in place, but noted he was not going to be an "email slave"!; he and Sue celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary.

Fines:

Late: Cell phone:

No Pin: Jeremy No Badge: Kipp

Leaving Early:

Member proposed Fines:

50/50 drawing:

Jim Shibles drew Steve Dotson's number. Steve chose a white heart shaped rock and did not win the "pot".

Program:

With no formal program for the meeting the discussion turned to business.

Brad Vail noted that the Police Department's First Night, a safety education program, will be held August 7. He asked the Rotary to sell hot dogs at the event. Motion was made, seconded and passed by the club to sell hot dogs at the event.

President Elect Jeremy read two letters:

Kim Potter sent her resignation due to business and time to attend meetings. She complimented the club on its activities and service.

Gloria Hammond sent a thank you note for the Giving Plate awarded her at the Changing of the Gavel BBQ party.

Discussion of Membership

Setting: During previous meetings of the Board of Dirrectors and subsequently the Club, new categories of membership were passed and then incorporated into a current proposal of a renewal of the Club's By-Laws. They included Active, Honorary, Family, Corporate, and Associate Memberships. Each of the categories had separate dues and voting arrangements.

George presented his concerns that the new categories created unequal rights and responsibilites among members. His concern was that the categories would be a detriment to the Club and Rotary. He felt the categories did not meet the Four Way Test and would be unconstitutional as the rights and responsibilities would be unevenly assigned.

Phil clarified that although he authored, the BOD and Club passed categories. He was writing what he had heard discussed by the BOD and other members and what he had read in The Rotarian about new authorized categories of membership. Phil presented an article in the August edition of The Rotarian that listed many ideas and processes that a club had carried out to increase its membership. Phil noted that as you read the ideas you may recall that He has used many of them as membership chair. Phil noted that recruiting members is not a one person job, but an actvity in which all members need to participate with enthusiasm. Phil asked George to, please, write up an alternative to the current proposal for our consideration. We now have two proposals that are on differrent sides of the issue. We can do a better job than the current U.S. Congress and work toward a compromise that is in the best interest of Rotary.

Chip observed that the series of emails concerning the topic reminded him of 15 years ago when he was a District Governor in Connecticut. Chip noted that the issues were the same. Rotary is a stagnant organization. It has stayed at 1.2 million members for many years. Business people find it hard to attend luncheon meetings and some have problems with breakfasts and evening meetings. Chip stressed that a club and Rotary International need a cross section of people of all backgrounds, business interests, gender, and cultural backgrounds. Chip noted that finding various ways to have people involved in activities may lead to new members.

George responded that he did not view increasing the number of members in the way suggested would increase the number of "committed Rotarians". George suggested that we need to create participation in activities and projects.

Nancy reported she had just had a meeting with the new DG and that there is a printout available for membership which she will send around.

Jeremy inquired why people left Rotary and Steve responded that an exit interview might help.

Jim Shibles acknowledged that he left his club two years ago. His wife belonged, also, and was one of the first women in Rotary in the area. Jim lamented that 3 or 4 people do all the work and get burned out. He was put up to be president and said, "no". He was burned out and left the club.

Kipp said he had a problem with one category of membership that was being presented and that was the family membership. (It allows both members of a couple to belong at reduced dues and with only one vote between them.) Kipp stated in his two terms as president his wife was asked many times if she wanted to join. She refused, but was always a great help during the time that he was president. Kipp recalled that there used to be a category known as Rotary Anns.

Phil reminded the club that our Sister Club, the Rotary Club of White River, South Africa, still had Rotary Anns and perhaps we could use that category in some way. George took up that idea and said that if he ever got married, again, he wanted to be a Rotary Andy.

Phil challenged George that there was an issue that we could agree on completely. That was bringing singing back into the club.

George whole heartedly agreed and recalled again that singing, dancing, and some other activities created the production of endorphins in the brain making people happier.

The writer has tried to present each part of the discussion as accurately as the notes and memory would allow. The writer takes responsibility for any unintended discrepancies.

Calendar:

July 24 Regular Meeting Hotel Coolidge 12:00 Noon

Governor Venu Rao is scheduled to attend.

July 31 Regular Meeting Hotel Coolidge 12:00 Noon

Aug.07 Regular Meeting Hotel Coolidge 12:00 Noon

Anniversaries/Birthdays:

Dave and Tracy Landry - 19 years. Ray and Sue Stanford - 50 years. We sang "Happy Anniversary to both with great gusto.

Students of the Month: Honored every month between October and May on the second Tuesday at the Hartford Area Career and Technology Center.

Service Above SElf Awards: Presented two or three times a year to high school students who have served their community in a vounteer program.

ENGAGEMENT:

Members at the meeting:

David Briggs, Lori Brown, Stephen Dotson, David F. Ford, Jeremy Greeley, Phil Hammond, Scott Hausler, Richard Hoffman, Margo Howland, Renee Hebert, David Landry, Chip Lewis (H), Aaron MacAskill, Kipp Miller, Skip Nalette, Gayle Ottmann, Jim Rostron, Nancy Russell, Wayne Russell, David Saturley, Lisa Saturley, Sue Shaw, PJ Skehan, Ray Stanford, Brad Vail, George Wenz. (25)

Rotarians in Service to the community:

Community members helping Rotary:

Gloria

Rotarians at Rotary Social Events:

Rotarians we missed: Those that are not bold and underlined above.

Attendance:

13 / 25 = 54% at the meeting.

Make UPs Reported

None reported.

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Notes by Gayle Ottmann River Log Construction by Phil Hammond

Editing by Gloria Hammond Keyboarding and Email by Phil Hammond.