Stephanie Urchick, from Pennsylvania, USA is the RI President for the 2024-2025 year: only the 2nd female World President after Jennifer Jones 2years ago.
She asks us to ensure that membership of Rotary is a compelling option for those who have a heart for service and fellowship. She urges clubs to assess their strengths and areas for improvement while also encouraging them to embrace different meeting formats and membership styles to mirror the communities in which they exist.
RI President Stephanie Urchick celebrates the magic of Rotary – her theme for the year. Members, she says, create that magic with every project completed, every dollar donated, and every new member of Rotary.
THE ROTARIAN VISION “Together we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change across the globe in our communities and in ourselves”
THE ZONE 8 PILOT - “REGIONALISATION”
The method of club support by Districts (now 500+) & Clubs (now 30,000+) worldwide has not changed for 100 years, but the world has!.
All of the 20 Districts in our Zone 8 - New Zealand, Australia, and the Pacific Islands are engaged in a pilot programme to change the way Rotary works – making the primary goal a focus on improving the effectiveness of every Rotary Club
PILOT OUTCOMES: Membership growing, flourishing clubs, and new clubs. We make a profound difference in our communities, Rotary is known far and wide as a service organisation and partner of choice
The Regional Council was operational 6 months ago, with an Australian Chairman & and a NZ Chair Elect
There are 5 Portfolio leads:
- Service Project’s & Programmes
- Public Image & Partners
- Membership
- Leadership, Learning & Development
- Major Fundraing & Grants
- & Diversity Equity & Inclusion
Across the region there is an establish Roster of Rotary Specialists in each of these Portfolios, all available to assist Clubs
ROTARY COMMUNITY GROUPS – Starting now (1stJuly 2024)
Remuera Rotary has been formed into a new Grouping of 13 local clubs: Auckland, Auckland City Rotaract, Auckland Downtown, Auckland East, Auckland Harbourside, Auckland Metro, Maungakiekie (9910), Mt Eden, Newmarket, Parnell, Remuera, St Johns, Waiheke Island, Westhaven (9910)
We have an elected leader: PP Malcolm Stapleton of Parnell Rotary. Our conduit to an elected position on the Council.
THE REMUERA ROTARY RESPONSE
We have to change the focus of our traditional weekly meeting format, and purposely be attractive to prospective members – in everything we do.
I have decided to work with a team of our newest members - with Club member support and using the external resources now available to us via the pilot. We need to look through the lens of the prospective member – in everything we do, we want to improve the perception of our Club and be the Club that delivers on the promise.
My team to lead the Club for 2024-2025 is Kay Brookes (Secretary), Annabel Lush, Feifei Huang, Deeanah Winders, Catherine Holden, Etienne Ryan, and Bruce Howe (Treasurer), with Ingrid Grieve as an advisor
There are plenty of roles not yet filled for Club operations, and members should be ready for the call for help
WHAT IS ON THE IMMEDIATE HORIZON?
The first Club meeting of the New Year (8th July) will be one involving all members – a planning meeting to inform the Board’s strategy. There will be some homework to do, and from those responses our new Board will create an action plan.
The following week (15th July) we welcome the arrival of our inbound exchange student Melanie Helgesen, from Denmark. Last year’s board resolved to engage with Rotary Youth Exchange – a District to District programme that our Club was last involved with at least 10 years ago. Finding Host families has been tough going – and Deeanah & family have stepped up to be hosts for 1st 3 months, and are prepared to do a 2nd stint of 3 months. We continue to look for Host families, from both within the Club and our adjacent clubs. Feifei is counsellor to Melanie for the 12 month period, and Annabelle & I are helping her by providing accommodation for the first 12 days
Getting to know all the members of our Rotary Community Group via exchange visits & shared common projects. For the 15th July we have invited the The Rotary Club of Maungakiekie to our venue for a joint Club meeting, and they are keen to meet us.
Our thanks are due to those who made changeover evening happen: Bryan & Jenny, Wayne & Sharon and Secretary Kay. And A Big thank you for all members attending, partners, and those connected to the Club in earlier days.
Iain 3 July 2024
