Attendance - 17 Rotarians plus guest speaker

 

APPRECIATION - President Jerome thanked Chuck Thompson for filling in as greeter and Bill Pegg / John Thompson for staffing the registration desk.

 

President Jerome reminded bingo volunteers of their responsibilities for Thursday.

 

TRIVIA CHALLENGE - Mac Graham provided update on Knights of Columbus / Heffner Toyota Trivia Challengescheduled for Friday March 1, 2019 at Crowne Plaza Hotel. Members were encouraged to consider participating and thatearly-bird registration by Friday February 7 provides for a $45 savings per team of 8 players. Mac confirmed that ten teams have already registered of a maximum of 28 that can be accommodated. A new sponsor "Screw Cancer" is providing prizes for one team from a draw of all early-bird teams that are registered. All proceeds are directed to theHospice of Waterloo Region Capital Campaign.

 

50/50 - With a slowly-building stake of $170, President Jerome was the first to attempt to find the black marble (unsuccessfully) as did fellow Rotarians Chuck Thompson and John Vickery. The pot lives for another week.

 

 PRESENTATION - Rotarian Andrew Williams introduced guest speaker Kevin Ballantyne, BBA, CPA, CA a fellow Rotarian from the Rotary Club of Grand River. Kevin is a business consultant and president of Kitchener-based Profitable Wisdom.

Kevin's topic was Rotary Means Business, to discuss Rotary Fellowships, and the possibility of creating a new fellowship within the local community.

 

Definition - Rotary Fellowships are international groups that share a common passion in a fun way to increase networking and establish friendships through a profession or hobby with an objective to enhance members Rotary experience.

 

Kevin shared the following:

• members must be Rotarians or Rotaractors, although non-Rotarians can participate a maximum of three times
• objective is to provide format for exchange of business opportunities connections through discussion
• fellowships can assist in attracting new and retaining existing Rotarians and possibly even serve as a source for additional donations 
• with Rotary's 4-Way Test, members of the fellowship would be deemed to have "high standards"
• ultimately, fellowships contribute to making stronger clubs, improving communities and having a bigger impact on the world
• monthly meetings can be in person or digital 
• content could showcase 1-2 members, "elevator speeches" from others, and sharing of ideas and personal interchanges between members 
• could also include on-line chats and discussion groups
• seems like a "back to basics" for Rotary which was created 100+ years ago for business networking 
• entry fee is $15 US annually, or $75 lifetime 
• currently about 60 chapters (of the fellowship?), however none are in Canada - closest one in US on south side of Lake Erie
• in response to a question about Rotary currently not being seen as the "forum" to overtly promote your business, the Fellowship is an opportunity to do so "outside" the mainstream meetings 
• Kevin encouraged club members to consider becoming involved or helping to establish the RMB local fellowship
• Kevin to provide his power-point presentation to president Jerome who will circulate to members

THANKS - Rotarian Bill Green thanked Kevin and presented him with a certificate in appreciation, confirming the restoration of eyesight of an individual in a 3rd-world country.