Membership Matters

Rotary District 5420 has taken a stand for Membership Retention and positioned itself for significant growth. The two recent District Membership Seminars helped create awareness and equipped Club Leaders with tools and skills to make this a proposition of results, not just talk. 

The challenge to see the "rubber meet the road" comes in the doing - by Membership Committees and Rotary Members. Your District Membership Leadership is committed and earnestly asks your response to the call for action. It is with excitement and great anticipation that by applying the methods covered in the Seminars, I have submitted applications for ten (10) prospective members for my club during the last month. So to leadership and members, I ask: "Will you please do likewise?"

Suggestions for your immediate review and resolve:

1. Believe in the need and in the process provided for making the change.
2. Doubt no more; there are many people who want to be part of us.
3. Prospects just need to be invited.

There are no hiding places. We have no excuses. Again I promise you will have exciting, positive results if you will put me to the test and apply the simple Personal Daily Membership Strategy. AG's and Club Leaders, prove to members there is a Santa Claus; extend yourself and make it happen.

My Christmas Greeting to all of you is my latest expression of what I feel this whole experience is all about. In "Live the Songs of Christmas" (see this beautiful Christmas song on the district blog). Here's wishing you have your very best Christmas ever.

Live the Songs of Christmas

(1^st Stanza Spoken)

It’s Christmas – A time we think of Jesus –

His birth - His life given for mankind.

Let’s Live the Songs of Christmas

Doing good and being kind. 

Christmas is a time for giving-

Now and all year through.

Give time for dear loved ones,

And for friends we make anew. 

We love the season’s greetings;

It’s that joyous time to share.

By giving from our souls with love-

We gladden heart and show we care. 

CHORUS

We Sing the Songs of Christmas-

Sweet sounds from up above.

Oh Live the Songs of Christmas-

Spread Peace on Earth through love.

 

At Christmas we decorate

And make things pretty and bright.

With our acts of selfless love

We have joy both day and night. 

At Christmas we be our best-

And not want the season to end.

Oh we love the joy of Christmas-

And with the Savior’s love befriend.

CHORUS

 

There’re many ways we show

The true meaning of Christmas;

And if our hearts are inclined-

Heaven’s grace descends upon us. 

Simple things and soft words

May be our very best gifts.

And as we reach out and help others

We have peace the Savior gives.

CHORUS

James O. Coleman ©2012

Principles of the Golden Rule

By Jana Scott and Brian Farr, Rotary Peace Fellows

One of greatest powers to bring people together is that which is shared in common. 

In every faith tradition and in the writings of great thinkers, we find the concept of the Golden Rule or some form of it.  Here are a few examples:

One word which sums up the basis of all good conduct… loving-kindness. Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself.     - Confucianism

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.     - Christianity

What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor.     - Judaism

Not one of you truly believes until you wish for others what you wish for yourself.     - Islam

Regard your neighbour’s gain as your own gain, and your neighbour’s loss as your own loss.     - Taoism
The Golden Rule is part of District 5420’s Peace Project that will be presented at Rotary International’s Peace Forum in Hawaii.  Interact clubs are encouraged to do Golden Rule projects, and Rotary Youth Peace Ambassadors have been selected to help encourage youth projects in their schools and communities and to help with the presentation in Hawaii in late January.

Though seemingly simple, the Golden Rule has profound effect when lived.  Relationships are changed, communities are better, lives are enriched, societies are stronger.

Living the Golden Rule requires deliberate action.  It is a choice which requires effort, often refined throughout a lifetime.  This principle of peace, which comes naturally to Rotarians, is one element of contributing to more peaceable communities, and it lifts all involved.

This holiday season and new year, find ways to implement it more fully in your own life and encourage others.  We’ll include ideas for Interact projects in future newsletters.

 

PR Tips from Park City and RI

The Rotary Club of Park City serves a relatively small residential community.  The majority of the population of Summit County resides in Park City and the surrounding unincorporated area commonly referred to as the Snyderville Basin. The population of the Snyderville Basin area has been estimated at 16,000 people, with an additional 7,558 residents living in Park City proper.

In the Greater Park City area there is one non-profit public radio station (KPCW 91.9 FM), one bi-weekly newspaper (The Park Record), and one FCC licensed television station (PCTV – Park City Television).  The Club continues to make sure there is a representative of each of these organizations as Club members.  Currently the KPCW General Manager, The Park Record Publisher, and the PCTV Owner are all members of the Club.

By having representative of the local media in the Club they are knowledgeable of the Club’s activities and constantly help promote Rotary Club events and other activities Club members participate in.

Following is a short list of other ideas to assist Rotary Club’s in their PR efforts:

• Partner with other Clubs in your area to create a challenge that financially benefits a local non-profit.  The Sunrise Rotary Club and the Rotary Club of Park City created a “Club Challenge” to assist the local radio station, KPCW, with their on-air fundraising campaign.  The on-air time provided a great opportunity to talk about Rotary in general and the community service the local Clubs provide.
• Work with other non-profits in your community to assist them with their projects.  Again, both local Clubs provided volunteers for a Middle School Program, Reality Town.  Giving young residents experience in balancing a check book and making life choices to do so.  This outreach provided a one-on-one opportunity to exposure Rotary service to students and facility.
• The Club’s largest fundraiser, “Miners Day”, occurs on Labor Day.  All funds raised on this day go towards a grant program for local non-profits.   The Club organizes all the community activities associated with this celebration.  The “Running of the Balls” is a fundraiser prior to the Parade (people purchase numbered golf balls that are sent down Main Street with prizes going to the winning balls), and a multitude of activates in City Park for resident of all ages.  To ensure community awareness, pre-event media interviews allowed the Club to talk about Rotary and the goals of the Club.  Again, having representatives of the local media in the Club was instrumental in getting the service message out to community residents.  In addition, promotional materials (flyers/posters), banners in the parade, and signage in City Park included the Club logo in prominent positions.      

Project partnerships have broadened the Club’s exposure, and increased opportunities to provide community service.

Here are more PR tips for the holiday season when your local media will be looking for stories of service to the community.  Be sure to share your club’s holiday service projects with your local media outlets.  Whether your club is collecting winter clothing, shoes or money for those in need or just spreading goodwill and cheer, make sure to get the word out about how Rotary is making a difference in your community and don’t forget to tell RI, too, by sending your write-up to pr@rotary.org.

Because January is Rotary Awareness Month it’s a great time to reflect on what it means to be a Rotarian.  Rotary’s strength for worldwide good is in its 34,000 clubs in 200 countries and geographical areas, so this is the time to make sure your community knows who you are and what you do.  Consider these activities for Rotary Awareness Month.

·         Place a localized Facebook advertisement to promote an upcoming event or service project.

·         Invite a non-Rotarian friend or colleague to attend your next service project or social event.

·         Partner with your local Rotaract or Interact club for a joint service project, social event or fundraiser in fundraiser in order to make Rotary more visible in your community.

·         Share why you are a Rotarian through your Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin social network.

·         Get to know young professionals in your club or community.  Listen to their ideas and ask them to share their thoughts about how our club can attract more young professionals.

Celebrate a Rotary Day on February 23 when RI will celebrate 108 years of making a difference in the world.  Every club is encouraged to plan an activity or event on or around that day, especially to promote the End Polio Now campaign. 

But, any day can be a Rotary Day in your community!  Focus on service and spread the message about what Rotary is . . . and does in your community, the state, the nation or the world!!!