April is here at last, but it has been playing tricks on us these past few days! Its so-called "showers" have been leaving what Bo likes to call "some kind of mold" here and there! Nevertheless, the sun has been trying to pay us a visit from time to time, thereby giving us little snippets of hope.

PE John filled in for President Bruce this noon, as he led us in saying The Pledge. We were greeted by Tom's warm smile as we trickled into The Redwood. Jack led us in singing God Bless America, and Micah gave The Blessing. Micah gave thanks to the Heavenly Father, as he asked Him to bless us, and to bring peace and comfort to those who are in need of healing. There were 19 Members at today's Noon Meeting, and we welcomed guest, NCS Superintendent, Kevin Swartz. The Program planned for today was a Club Assembly, led by John F. The Rotary Moment was provided by Tom.

There were a few updates before the Club Assembly this noon. John was pleased to announce that Superintendent Swartz plans to join Naples Rotary! We will be delighted to have him come on board as a New Member!

Skip followed John with the reminder to sign up for the Spring Dinner. The Dinner is being planned for 4/25/22, and the menu sounds scrumptious! The cost is $35.00 per person, and checks are due to Skip by April 18th. Skip also shared with us that Carrie said NCS will be expecting a new Exchange Student from Spain this Fall!

Tom rounded out the news in telling us about the "Open Mic" at Caruso's Cafe over the weekend. One of the special features was our very own Rose, who displayed her wonderful musical talent! Tom said that $110 was raised, and it was a great "Soft Opening" as a prelude to the Grape Fest!

One of our signature fund-raisers, the Naples Creek Rotary Trout Derby happened over the weekend, and John shared some of his reflections on this Annual Event. He thanked Micah and Sherry, and all the helpers and volunteers who worked to make the 61st Trout Derby a real success this year. We netted over $3100!

John said that for nine years, he has been a Member of the Naples New York Rotary Club, as it is officially called. Apart from the service and fund-raising that we do, over that stretch of time, he has made some additional observations about Naples Rotary. Spouses become involved, and though changes are inevitable, most will be pleased when that happens. During the Trout Derby this past weekend, he witnessed that the anglers were passionate, the Naples Community was generous, there was fellowship, there were common goals, there was community pride, the community was brought together, and local businesses were stimulated. He concluded by having us picture a little 5-year-old blonde girl, catching her first fish, her mom capturing the special moment on camera, and her grandmother reminiscing about the Trout Derby many years ago... John added "This is why I get Rotary!"

John had certainly done his homework in preparing for today's Club Assembly! His presentation about the Naples Rotary Club was clearly divided into three major parts: Communication, Goals, and Engagement. It is from these Pivotal Points that we can focus on what we are currently doing, as a club, and what we can do in the foreseeable future to make Our Club even more successful.

Communication: There are many ways that we are currently making sure that our Club Members are staying connected. Each week, The Grapevine gives a synopsis of the (Weekly) Meeting. Important dates, announcements, and events are included, as well as a bit of humor! (Thanks to Bo for that!) Another vehicle of communication is the Google Sheet, which lets Members know about Monthly Board Meetings, and Service Projects. The Board Meetings are open to anyone who wishes to attend. Important information can also be found on Club Runner, a relatively new application that has been very helpful to Members. The By-Laws are also available, as another means of checking on pertinent information. Our sustainability can be maintained in keeping strong lines of communication going!

Goals: Membership is a goal that is of primary importance to us, both now, and for the future. The Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) is another avenue of involvement that builds on Members' Leadership Skills. There are 12 Members who are planning to attend the District Training Assembly on April 9th. This Event will be another step into Leadership and Understanding. The District Conference (from 4/29-5/1) will provide yet another opportunity to extend participation and build Fellowship among Rotarians. 

Other avenues of involvement include the Rotary Foundation, Polio Plus, our various Service Projects, and our Inclusion of Youth (Interact and RYLA). "Our Plan for 2022-2023 is to have more on-line presence," noted John. "We want to keep track of volunteer hours and keep the momentum going!" We want Naples Rotary to be vibrant in District 7120!

Aligning with our Club Goals, Liz talked about the "Club Health Survey" which will be forthcoming. Including 10 questions, it will be sent out to all Members via "snail mail". There will be three questions at the end that ask what we think of our Club. "The Survey will be confidential, and it will play into how we set our goals," said Liz. It will be important to be candid when answering the Survey questions. Liz will tabulate the results and they will go before The Board for review.

Engagement: John gingerly noted that Skip is currently our Number One Perfect Attendance Member! That commitment on Skip's part reflects the importance of staying involved and connected as a Member of Rotary. We need to adapt to the "changing complexion" of Rotary as we steer ourselves into the future. We are happily gaining New Members, some of which bring a youthful glow to the Club, such as Micah and Kristin. John feels that Hybrid Meetings are here to stay, but this format allows more Members to attend Meetings in a safe setting, if they wish.

Many Happy Bills came in, as a result of the Club's appreciation of the Trout Derby and John's well-organized Club Assembly! We were grateful for the hard work of Micah, Sherry, and all the volunteers who worked hard to make the Derby successful. Nancy not only helped at the Trout Derby, but she and Blanche sold Quilt Raffle Tickets for the Naples Historical Society the next day! Micah appreciated the help of NCS Teacher, John Betrus on Friday. Laurie was sporting a handsome-looking Brew and Brats shirt today!

The Ace of Hearts was up to $230 today. Jo's Ticket, # 823334 was drawn. I'm not sure what card Jo drew from the pack, but it wasn't the Ace of Hearts!

The Win-Win Question of the day was "What year was Naples Rotary Club formed?" The answer was February 23, 1939!

"It's exciting to come to Naples during an event!" exclaimed Tom as he gave the Rotary Moment. He showed the Members an action-filled video depicting all the aspects of Friday's Trout Derby, which included many memorable moments! Click here to watch.

That wraps things up for this week! Our April 11th Meeting will be in the evening. We hope Pres. Bruce will be feeling better soon! I'd like to close this week's missive with a little quote gleaned from John at today's Club Assembly. "We are people of like mind, doing things together!"

Newsflash!