The minutes of the meeting of the Rotary club of Burlington Central for 20th of August 2015.
The meeting was brought to order by President of the club Mr Bryce Leggatt. Guests were introduced and welcomed.
Congratulations were offered to Sheila Welham on for her excellent work on Lakeside À La Cart and to the committee and to the many volunteers. $55,000 was a great success! This is the 16th year. The importance of our volunteers, sponsors, and partnership with various agencies was emphasised as being key to the success of this event. For six years Air Canada, and for two years Green Thumb Landscaping have been sponsors for the ticket sales. The proceeds are donated to children's activities within the community. Until recently Via Rail was also involved. For the past two years Green Thumb has sponsored the Wine wheelbarrow. This year the price of the tickets was increased and amazingly the takings doubled!
Brian Warren and Karen Warnkie came to represent Start 2 Finish to be presented with a cheque for $3000. Brian then addressed the club describing their activities and their great relationship with Rotary.
The Art Gallery of Burlington was represented by Robert Steven and Mary Kay Aird who were presented with a cheque for $3000. Brian, only recently come to the Art Gallery of Burlington addressed the club. He has an open invitation to visit the gallery for a tour and wanted the club to appreciate the great range of ages that are being supported by the gallery in their provision of lifelong learning in the arts considered to be so important for good development.
The AGB was also thanks for being part of the silent auction which was very successful. The auction made $36 short of $17,000. One final offering was auctioned this morning and raised $80 bringing the total over 17,000!
Thanks went to Ryan Thompson for his organisation of the restaurants. Randy Reeve has been 10 years bringing the wineries and breweries on board.
Leslie Allison was thanked for her work with the Silent Auction. Wayne Gowan, Bill Clark, and Mike Molloy, were thanked for their work with the electricity and all the behind the scenes activities that make this event work so well and so professionally.
Jamie Edwards and Sherri were thanked for their hosting of the most successful club barbecue.
Marie Creswell will be having a prolonged absence owing to a severe health problem and will welcome contact with members during this trying period.
Telling Tales Festival is coming up in September and we are soliciting books for children and youth and Peter Thoem will receive books at his house and there is a lock-up available. Peter is in Peterborough where he and Ruth are grandparents again.
It is five weeks to the District Conference. Burlington, Milton, and Oakville will be on first base to staff this conference being the closest. The emphasis will be on family and fun. Some help from members would be gratefully received for four hours at a time on the 18th to 20th September with emphasis on the 19th.
On Friday, October 23, a slightly delayed World Polio Day will be celebrated with passing out of information at the GO train, an annual event that will also require volunteers to hand out literature. Polio has been eradicated in Africa and there are very few pockets left in Afghanistan and Pakistan. "We are this close!"
Rob Sybersma sent out an email requesting membership dues. He is mandated by the CRA to indicate that if people do not wish to have a tax receipt that is an option they can take. Should they choose not to, nobody will understand why not!
Jim Brindle reminded us of the need for volunteers for the Rotary Music Festival in November; some have already volunteered but there will be plenty of room for more.
Mike Molloy and Shirley are to be grandparents again.
Mountain Equipment Co-Op are sponsoring a bike race this coming Sunday the proceeds going to Rotary. Our club is asked simply to cook hamburgers and hot dogs for the returning cyclists at the Hidden Valley Park between 12 and 4. It will be a fun afternoon and activities available for children.
The inbound student from Argentina has been delayed until mid-September by visa problems, an all too common occurrence.
Rob Collard introduced Mike Molloy, today's speaker.
Mike spoke to us on the club's Public Relations Plan.
It is easier to present ourselves to our community if we have a plan. Our reputation and public image is critical to the success of a club like ours. There are so many benefits to being involved with Rotary and there are many ways of presenting that to individuals and to the community at large. It's important to explain to people what we do and why, and what to expect from being a member. Elimination of misperceptions is equally important. In order to do this well there needs to be a Chairman of Public Relations which Mike is doing currently.
There is so much to learn about our community and this is so well done in Rotary as Mike discovered in the very first years of his membership when he learned more about his community then he had done for the decades before.
We need to review how we present ourselves and having Rotarians and non-Rotarians evaluate that is important. There is a wealth of information on Rotarian websites. We need a review of our website and of our use of social media, Facebook etc. and the use of press releases that are critical to pitching what we do. Identification of key messages and stories using photo, audio and video looking for real stories from real people, something to tug at heartstrings is always successful. The employing of prestigious speakers on occasions is a powerful way of spreading the message. Above all Human Capital is more important even than financial capital.
The club will budget for its PR. Partnership with other organisations is so valuable as many would like to be partnered with Rotary, and this amplifies our messages. There will be a PR calendar every year.
Mike was thanked for his presentation and presented with a certificate noting that 125 children would be inoculated with Polio Vaccine in his name.
Respectfully submitted by your scribe, Anthony Ford-Jones
