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Rotary International Convention in Calgary Driving to and from Calgary, Alberta, Canada was an experience in and of itself. The landscape changed from our Fort Collins and Wellington vistas to flatter lands with longer vistas. As we went further north, the roads became two-way with few cars. But it rained...poured even... and then the winds blew, 55+ MPH making it difficult to keep the car steady. Highway to Calgary We arrived in Calgary about 7 PM Saturday night, too late to register for the Convention that day so we had to be at the Convention Center by 7 AM Sunday morning. We used Calgary’s commuter train and arrived with many other Rotarians. Everything was so well organized. They actually had circular stickers on the sidewalks leading people into the Center. Everything was well thought out with Volunteers to direct you where you needed to go. There was transportation available on golf cart type vehicles to take you to the Arena where the Opening Ceremony was held. A total of 15,000 Rotarians came together from all over the world. We began with introductions to Calgary by the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, Salma Lakhani, and the Mayor of Calgary, Mayor Jyoti Gondek. Both women delivered welcoming speeches that emphasized Rotary International’s respect as an organization of visionary community leaders and changemakers in countries around the world. There were many dedicated Rotarians presenters who are making a difference in the world with their commitments to peace, health, sanitation, education. Guy Van der Werf, our President-Elect, was there, and we went to different Breakout Sessions to cover the wonderful assortment of topics. I attended sessions on District Designated Funds, Commemoration Your Club’s Centennial, Rotary’s Blind Spot: Storytelling & Social Media, The Club Experience Matters, and Revitalizing Rotary: Engaging the Next Generation. It was difficult to choose what you wanted to attend because there were so many great Breakout Sessions. Gordon went to a Chat session about lithium batteries. This is a quote from that session: “The largest source of lithium and cobalt are in the junk drawers of America. We can recycle phones, laptops, tablets, power tools, and any other battery or lithium-ion device.” He is planning to start a recycling program through Sunrise Rotary. I was interested in how to help our club grow its membership and social media. Here in a nutshell is what one session taught. “Research shows that a member’s club experience is influenced by various elements such as: meeting enjoyment, confidence in leadership, opportunities for personal growth, meaningful service and strong connections.” “When members are happy with the experience they have within a club, they are more satisfied with their Rotary membership overall, and more likely to stay.” “The Club Experience is a critical connection between satisfaction and retention.” “Every Club has a distinctive club culture created by the interaction of the club’s membership, relationships, activities, policies and practices.” “Club experience is the way a person feels when encountering a specific club’s culture, based on the individual’s motivation, identities, background, needs or expectations.” There is so much more to share with you. I am planning to use what I learned about social media to communicate more information. I do hope that hearing about my experience will encourage you to attend Assemblies, District Conferences and more. Rotary truly is an amazing organization doing incredible projects around the world that are helping many people. Be part of it. Annie |
