What a joy it was to see such a lovely turnout of Members and Guests, this noon, as friends gathered for today's Meeting, which featured the first Club Assembly of President Liz's tenure! As the "endless" Summer wanes, and August approaches, we Naples NY Rotarians are going to be busy, as there are many upcoming events on the calendar. Being involved, connected, and busy suits us well, however!

Pres. Liz started the Meeting, as we stood to join her in saying The Pledge to the Flag. In keeping with the patriotic moment, Jack led us in singing God Bless America. Judy gave The Invocation, asking The Lord's Blessing upon us, as we work to serve others. After being warmly greeted by Carrie, 28 Members, plus Guest, David Dial joined for fellowship, food, and business. The Program this noon, was presented by Pres. Liz, and Immediate Past President, John, as they reviewed the results of the recent Club Health Survey. It was especially great to have Tom, Bruce, and Betty back with us!

After Carrie had introduced our Guest, David Dial, Liz proceeded to give us some dates that we should be sure to add to our calendars! Let's let people know about Naples NY Rotary! On Wednesday, August 9th, we are going to host a "Meet and Greet" Event at Engine 14, from 6-8 PM. This will be an opportunity for us to show others "how we shine" through what we do, and hopefully, it will serve as a chance to attract some New Members! Naples Rotarians will provide snacks, and there will be a cash bar. Some of us are working to assemble some Trifolds that will showcase many of the things that Naples NY Rotary does. We are hoping for a nice turnout for this "August Rotary Lite", so bring a friend, if you'd like! Continuing with our "Social Calendar", the District Golf Tournament will be September 8th in Lima. We have a growing number of golfers within the Club, so we could probably field at least 2 or 3 Teams! The Street Dance will be the next day, September 9th, and more information on this event is sure to follow! 

Micah came forward to give us some upcoming dates for Camp O. On 8/5, we can meet at Camp Whitman to help, and on 8/13, we (those who are able) can meet from 9-12 at Camp Whitman to complete various maintenance jobs. The Annual Camp Carnival is on 8/20, and Rotarians from the Four County Radius have often helped with this event, as well. On 8/27, the Tear-Down Process takes place, and help is always appreciated for this job! Here are many opportunities to choose from, all of which benefit the children!

Rose, who keeps us connected with BVT, spoke next. She was curious as to how many had seen the recent production, "Little Women", and she was promoting the next performance at BVT, "Driving Miss Daisy". She talked about the "Cash Bash" (at BVT), and for $20 one could "win the lottery"! Rose has tickets to sell for this fundraiser, for anyone who is interested.

Representing Youth Exchange, Jill (Gordon) was next to speak. Raul is home, and he is completely healed, which is great news! Our next Exchange Student is Giovanna, from Brazil, and she will be arriving on 8/16. Her first Host Family will be Renee and Shawn MacKenzie.

Pres. Liz reviewed some upcoming calendar dates for the month of August. The events are listed in the sidebar, and the Programs can be found on Club Runner as well.

The Program this noon took on the form of a Club Assembly, as President Liz and Immediate Past President John shared the results of the recent Club Health Survey. It was interesting to learn that the first time the Survey was given, 37 out of 55 Members responded, and this time, 31 out of 48 Members responded according to Liz and John. In hearing about the outcome of the recent CHS, it was interesting and ironic to note that the August Issue of Rotary Magazine had a noteworthy article in it about Club Health Surveys and Strategic Planning! The article is entitled "Membership Makeover", and it is certainly a worthwhile read! The article mentioned that just as a doctor will do a routine check on an individual to maintain his health status, and prevent (future problems), so too, can a CHS diagnose problem areas, and prescribe remedies. The exercise of taking a few minutes of one's time to complete this Survey provides valuable information that can lead to some improvements, yet simultaneously, it yields information that reinforces the fact that we are doing some things right!

Pres. Liz and PP John divided their delivery between them, as they shared the outcome of the CHS. There were three major sections, each of which was divided into two parts, (Part A and Part B). Those three sections were labeled "Club Experience", "Service and Social", and "Membership". Under each of these sections, listed were several additional subsections (too numerous to mention here) that John and Liz identified at length for the Membership. John and Liz noted the areas in which they thought we are performing well, as well as the areas labeled "RFI" (Room for Improvement). Similar to a "Report Card", The CHS is a barometer of noting our strengths and weaknesses. It provides reassurance that we are doing many things in an effective way, yet it also lets us know those areas where we can improve!

One very helpful Action Plan that Naples NY Rotary implemented earlier this year, was to develop a Strategic Plan that focused on Club Experience, Service and Social, Membership, Business and Operations, and Image. A joint committee of 10 Members worked diligently to address these Five Areas, (over a considerable amount of time), and reasonable progress was made in each of them.

The article in the Rotary Magazine focused on a "Four Step Plan" for "invigorating" a club, yet what seemed to be most intriguing were the reasons that mattered most to Rotarians, and those were friendship, service, and connections. Expounding on those findings, (from an editorial standpoint), it seems that Members wish for the following: We want to feel that being a part of Rotary will be a valuable experience that will provide an avenue for personal growth. We want to feel connected to others in positive ways, and at various levels, and we want to feel that our time, talents, and treasures will be appreciated, and that they will make a difference in "Creating Hope in the World".

Karen took over for Jo today, in conducting the Ace of Hearts. The Kitty was at $116! Jack's Ticket, #6747, was picked, and Jack drew the King of Spades from the pack.

Unfortunately, Bo and I had to leave a bit early, but I would assume that Happy Bills reflected an appreciation of the efforts made by Liz and John in assimilating the results of the CHS and sharing them with the Membership. The great attendance at today's Meeting must have spurred some positive reactions! Many were, no doubt, happy to see some familiar faces again!

On another little editorial note, we very much appreciate the time that Liz and John devoted to analyzing the outcome of the CHS and presenting those results to us in such a clear and concise way. Possibly, we could have a subsequent Club Assembly, in the near future, whereby Members would have an opportunity to share their comments, questions, and concerns in an open forum.

Have a great week, everyone! Happy August!