I am so excited to be the 111th District Governor for Rotary District 6780. Our district is one of the best in The Heart of America. We have had many Rotary International Directors and Rotary International Presidents from East Tennessee. All of these leaders had one thing in common - their desire to improve the world through service. I want to talk to you about my vision and goals for the upcoming Rotary Year through the Rotary Action Plan.
Increasing our IMPACT
We are going to put our resources behind programs that will have the greatest impact and that align with our areas of focus. We have 40 District Grants and several global grants that have been approved for the Rotary year. We have experts at the District, Zone, and RI Level that will help us make decisions grounded in evidence. Let’s continue to build the practices, infrastructure, and capacity needed to define, measure, track, and analyze data from our service projects in a much more effective way. Everything associated with service starts with our Rotary Foundation. The Foundation is the Engine that funds much of the work that we do. This year, I am going to challenge our membership to donate $1 million in cash gifts to the Rotary Foundation. We are also going to be approaching our membership with opportunities to give to the Rotary Endowment Fund so that we can achieve the goal of $2.025 billion in our Rotary Endowment by the end of 2025. And we are going to recommit ourselves to finishing off the last of the Polio Virus. No person should suffer from paralysis due to a preventable disease.
Expanding our REACH
As People of Action, we are inclusive, engaging, compassionate, and ambitious on behalf of the world.
Let’s share our values with new audiences and create new ways to bring people together to experience the power of Rotary. We are going to add 4 new clubs this year. We will be focusing on Cause Based Clubs, Companion Clubs, Satellite Clubs, and traditional Rotary Clubs in underserved areas. Our new Membership Chair, Susie Cantrell, is going to help us grow our membership by a net of at least 100 members in the upcoming year. We are going to surpass 3,000 members again!
Enhancing Member ENGAGEMENT
We’re tearing down the walls between “us” and “them” and focusing on participants. We’re asking people how they want to participate, finding ways to meet them where they are, and making sure they know we value them. Everything is about the Member Experience. Let’s use every encounter as an opportunity to show people what Rotary can do for them as individuals and as members of our communities. Lead with empathy and present opportunities. Make Rotary Contagious!
Increase our Ability to ADAPT
As People of Action, we seek new perspectives and new ideas that can strengthen Rotary and create lasting change. Let’s work to create a culture of research, innovation, and willingness to take risks in our clubs so that we can better serve our members. It is so important that our clubs have an appreciation for where they came from (their history), where they are now (an honest look at the current club culture), and where the club wants to go (the vision).
Our local and global communities are at a crossroads. At no time have people had a greater need for enhanced relationships, personal connectivity, and a shared sense of purpose. We need each other, and our communities need us. Rotary has a history of working toward peace and addressing humanitarian issues around the world, but what Rotary does for our individual members is just as important. Think about the way that doing good makes you feel. How do you feel when your heart is truly filled up? Service to others equals satisfaction in life. Thank you all so much!
