I have to admit that some strange things have been happening to me lately. I went to a Rotary Club of Berwick meeting and enjoyed it. It hasn't happened just once either. There have been a few occasions, including a couple of Saturday morning Zoom meetings, and who likes Zoom!!
Starting this weekend, I begin the Presidents-Elect Training Seminar(PETS) for being the President of our Club again next year. Training for all Club positions is essential and often pushed aside as a waste of time. Nobody gets good at anything without training. That is why I am looking forward to doing it all again.
Unfortunately, this year it is on Zoom, and it isn't multi District. I think I learnt the most at the meet and greet sessions last year over a few wines. Talking to random Presidents from across Victoria gave an excellent picture of how many Clubs are travelling. Many of those chats worked their way into the current President's Plan. Now it is time to start on the 2021-22 version!
In last week's bulletin, I was picking fluff out of my navel while reflecting on where we started in July 2020 and where we have got to today. I am pretty satisfied that we, meaning every active member of the Club, have contributed to reinvigorating our commitment to Service in the community.
Rotary's motto is Service above Self. Our Club is not there for 5-star dining, and it is not a social club. Our sole purpose is to serve the community. Look, fun, joking around, maybe a car rally, camping trip, campfire (with good conversation and a bit of vino), and good food does go a long way to enjoying Rotary, but generally, we are on a budget!
We meet for business, inspiration, education and integration. We are very social, but Service binds us together across all our socio-economic and cultural paths. We are one, but we are many! If we recognise that this is our shared focus, we can achieve anything. We are open to new people, new ideas, new projects and unique experiences. Our next challenge is to find leadership to put a glow into our Club's future.
As a Club President, I am not the boss. My job is to lead. Club members decide if they want to follow the leader, believe in a vision, and make the world a better place. It is up to the leader to pitch a plan, lead by example, inspire and encourage. Members must create new leaders in the Club to build on, amplify, evolve, and change the plan. Members can pick potential leaders, support and push them forward. It is the roots that bring growth, not the guy(or gal) mowing the grass!
The President and the Board are there as moderators to keep the Club moving. We must keep the Club relevant to the society we represent.
We don't have a lot of time to find our future leaders. Our current Board will be stepping down soon. We have essential areas such as Public Image and Foundation swinging in the wind. Both these areas take a lot of training to get right. We need a new President, President-Elect and President-Elect Nominee coming through the Board, so we have influential future leaders keeping our focus steady. A strong Club is one where everyone cares about the outcome and members do what it takes to make it happen including stepping forward.
I chose the photo above as each balloon represents a possibility. It could be a project, an opportunity or an adventure. Whatever it is, each balloon needs a pilot, a crew, some energy and an idea of where it will land. Get on board and find a balloon that fits your Rotary journey. Become a leader in our Club.
