District Assembly

INSPIRE. CONNECT. END POLIO. The words on the posters hanging around the conference room at the Comfort Inn bore a similar theme — the message direct from Rotary Brand Central — that Rotary members are People of Action. That’s what the District’s Public Image Chair Patrick Plantenberg (Townsend Rotary) wants you to understand and he hopes that you will spread the message. Rotarians helping to spread the word is how a consistently positive image of Rotary gets formulated in the public’s mind, he explained.

 

Patrick’s presentation on ideas for implementing Rotary’s branding guidelines was just one of the many topics covered at the annual District 5390 Assembly held in Butte, MT, August 10-11. Rotary members from around the state gathered to learn more about Rotary Foundation grant making, secretary/treasurer officer duties, best practices in clubs, RYLA, Rotary Youth Exchange, Interact, Rotaract Clubs, and education/training opportunities.
      
Missoula Rotary Club President George Stern and Board Member Victoria Emmons (Missoula Rotary) attended the two-day Assembly, which featured a session led by President George on managing club secretary and treasurer duties. 

 

District Governor Rick Moore (Helena Sunrise Rotary) greeted attendees to the event, offering his encouragement and gratitude to those in attendance. Governor Rick’s wife Sylvia Moore presented a training session on sexual harassment and advised that clubs consider similar training for members. 

 

Saturday’s seminars were held at the Montana Tech campus in uptown Butte. Nathan Dudden, freshly arrived from Taiwan, co-presented with Steve Kice, Megan Bittinger and Jill Bedessem (Bozeman Sunrise Rotary) on how to sponsor Interact and Rotaract Clubs. Lori Cummings (Hamilton Rotary) led a rousing two-hour session sharing club best practices for everything from membership recruitment, to running an exciting weekly meeting, to discovering how to know if leadership is meeting member expectations. Ann Dooling and Rex Walsh presented goal setting and reported. Darryl Hansen (Livingston Rotary) facilitated a large group interested in Rotary Youth Exchange.

 

Several sessions were presented on how to apply for district grants through the Foundation. Brian Furey (Missoula Sunrise Rotary), this year’s District Foundation Chair for Grant Selection, gave a detailed look at how to apply for a grant. The Foundation matches grants up to $2500 for a variety of community and international service projects. March 31 is the grant application deadline each year for submitting proposals to fund projects the following year.

 

Governor Rick indicated his objectives for the year are: (1) to increase Interact and Rotaract Clubs and their membership engagement; (2) enhanced marketing/public image to support increased member recruitment, noting the overall decline in membership throughout the District; (3) each club to earn a Rotary Presidential Citation for achievement attaining at least three items in each category with the addition of new silver, gold and platinum distinction levels added by RI President Barry Rassin (East Nassau Rotary, Bahamas); and (4) holding a successful Peace Park event in September. 

 

Governor Rick also announced important upcoming dates for Rotary events, including: 
•    May 3-5, 2019, District 5390 Conference in Helena, MT.
•    2019 RI Convention, Hamburg, Germany, June 1-5, 2019; $395 registration fee if reserved by Dec. 15. 
•    2020 RI Convention in Honolulu, Hawaii.
•    Zone Institute in Boise, ID. Any Rotarian is welcome to attend.