I am pretty sure most of you are sick of talking about COVID. It has interfered with EVERY aspect of daily life from work, school, home, friends, family, socialising and even ducking down to the shops for a few rolls of dunny paper. Belonging to groups such as Rotary, Industry, Associations, volunteering and hobbies is just fraught with problems. Hermit life is looking easier and a sense of belonging and contributing to "the tribe" is becoming a dream.
It makes no difference which way you paint it, the picture is still the same. We have to make our own way through our COVID tainted world and be willing to adjust, take chances and live a life or forever lock ourselves away. Pandemics are not a new phenomenon, there have been plenty of them throughout history. It is just because we are in the middle of one that we are put out of our rhythm. We still have a couple of years to go, so are we going to sit around talking about the good old days or are we going to create a new future even if we might not see how it turns out?
In my industry, horticulture, we are suffering from the same things that we are suffering from in Rotary. Low attendance to events, scared and flitting people, lack of willingness to engage in face to face communications and certainly not keen on Zoom! The supply of materials is unreliable, staff are in short supply and input prices have risen over 20%. My industry is booming! Innovation is all around. Sales are ridiculous. Opportunities are everywhere. It is not easy, but it is exciting.
So what is happening to my Rotary Club? Same MO. Low attendance to events, scared and flitting people, lack of willingness to engage in face to face communications and certainly not keen on Zoom! The supply of projects is unreliable, new Rotarians are in short supply and meeting prices have risen over 20%. Is my Club booming? I could only wish.
Rotary is not special. We are washing around with every other entity trying to deal with COVID. From my perspective in the horticultural industry, horticulture is actively building for a sustainable and exciting future by engaging young people because the fate of humanity depends on it. Rotarians haven't yet realised that they must engage and pass on the knowledge and passion to young people because the fate of humanity depends on it. The difference might be that horticulture has a few $$$ riding on it. Employment and economic growth do have persuasive power that draws the attention of the Government.
Is Rotary just a concerned Community group trying to make a difference while enjoying a bit of social engagement? From my experience, Rotary is an extremely powerful organisation when in the right hands with the right people. Most of us already know that we love being part of Rotary but we have not invited younger people to pass our experiences and knowledge on to. Horticulture or Rotary, we don't live forever and neither does an organisation that isn't willing to empower a new generation. If you look at my staff (above), am I looking towards a bright future? You bet I am!
David Anderson is putting together a team of progressive thinkers to reimagine our Club and turn it into a powerhouse of innovation and teamwork. If you would like to be part of David's team, please contact him on andersonfam@internode.on.net
