Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation
President Mike called the meeting to order and asked Jerry Kuehn to lead us in the pledge. He then called upon Doug Person to give an invocation.
Doug was grateful that the imminent missile attack warning he heard while vacationing in Hawaii was sent in error.
Visiting Rotarians and Guests
Dave Behling was in attendance. He needed a make-up for his Reno Rotary so he would not have to pay a $5 attendance fine. But it was nice to see him. Jennifer Pence introduced Sarah Haas who was attending her third Rotary meeting.
Announcements
Mike Kimball and Emily Matthews announced the winners of the first Kimball Cartoon Contest. Pete Wanger and Cheryl Fama shared in the honors.
See this week's cartoon to the left. Get your entries in by Friday (January 19). Only one submission per person, please.
President Mike asked Past President Chuck Voltz to lead off the presentation of proposed changes to the meeting regimen. Chuck explained that he and Suzanne Juptner spent time assessing the club as it is now structured and how it might be improved. This was prompted by a concern in the reduction in membership and attendance over the past few years. Even with technical errors and the absence of his power point slide Chuck gave us a birds-eye view of our club’s current demographics. We are heavily weighted with longtime members. Two-thirds of us have been in the club 10 years or more. But most of this group is consistently engaged, attending most meetings. Most comprise the majority of Paul Harris Fellows and contribute financially to the club’s fundraising efforts.
The historic model of weekly lunch meetings and mandatory attendance no longer matches the changing job requirements in our area. The club needs to be flexible but devise options that reflect and preserve our core values.
President-elect Marc Friedman and Membership Chair Cheri Delacy-Carr introduced the proposed changes. They stressed that these plans were conceived to attract inactive members and in an effort to improve attendance and engage more participation in club activities. Beginning in March we will alter meeting times and format as follows:
- First Wednesday – A breakfast meeting at Poplar Creek from 7:30 to 8:30. Same format as lunch
- Second Wednesday – Regular lunch meeting at Poplar Creek 12:15 to 1:30
- Third Wednesday – Regular lunch meeting at Poplar Creek 12:15 to 1:30
- Fourth Wednesday – Service project followed by a social hour – day and time subject to change
- Fifth Wednesday – occurs 4 times a year and we will most likely be dark.
This was followed by a period of Q & A. A question was raised about the trial period for this schedule. The club will monitor for a year but stay flexible if certain elements do not work. Prospective new members? Bring them to each event so they see the variety.
Program
Member Mariya Shklovskaya introduced Galina Fedorova and her sister Tatiana who co-founded GOODDler Foundation. Within this non-profit they have created the Social Impact Youth Summit designed to create socially conscious leaders at the high school and university level. Galina shared how she developed her passion for charitable involvement as a nine year old in Russia. She led a group of 1st graders, whom she was assisting with homework, to go door-to-door offering to do housework. There were no takers but it planted the seed for her future life’s work. Her group advocates for “smart philanthropy” rather than just reacting to an immediate crisis or event. There is a need to focus on long-term solutions. GOODdler uses technology to provide logistics to organizations to create wish lists so that only the items/services needed are provided by the public.
As a member of the Global Compact for Young People in Humanitarian Action, a United Nations led effort, GOODdler has been promoting and protecting the rights of young people and working with them to deliver a world where every young person’s potential is fulfilled. For more information on this organization visit their website: www.gooddler.org