When you hear the words “Operation Pollination” or” Little Free Library”, the name that immediately comes to mind is Elayne Bozick. A 31-year Rotarian, past president, and District Governor elect, Elayne also chairs the district membership committee, at least for this Rotary year.
Fresh off PETS (President Elect Training Seminar) training, Elayne explained that there are three basic modules that are a part of PETS – public image, Rotary Foundation, with its seven areas of focus, and membership, which is the heart of Rotary.
But membership is about quality, not quantity. When looking for members, we as Rotarians look for people with integrity, who want to give back to their communities, and of course want to attend meetings and social events.
Member retention is key to building a strong club, but membership fluctuates. Last year, District 6650 was up by 2 members, by mid-year was down by 2, then a few days ago, down by 3. In contrast, our club is up by 6 – 7 members, which is a great place to be. But membership is really about people, not numbers.
There are many reasons why we are Rotarians, and Elayne invited us to share our thoughts. Friendship, being a part of something bigger than yourself, giving back, mutual support, networking, and getting to know people whose paths you wouldn’t normally cross were all mentioned.
Taking this all into consideration, then, led us to the next step – if you started a new Rotary club today, what would the ideal project be? Answers were as varied as the individuals sitting around the tables. Improving our local infrastructure to attract businesses, adding service projects to better serve the community and each other, and keeping members engaged were part of the dialogue.
As we continue to discuss membership, we will do so with a new district chair. Since Elayne’s duties as DG will change her focus, a new chair was appointed. Thank you Maureen Drummond, who will take on this responsibility for the next three years!
A Special Presentation
President Sharon was happy to present a check to Rev. Gayle Catinella to support the St. John’s Women’s Coffee events at the church. If you remember, a recent service project had Rotarians helping out on several Saturdays. Sharon commended Rev. Gayle for her selfless service to the community.
Little Free Libraries Need Your Help!
On the morning of June 30, there will be a drive-through book distribution to restock some of the Little Free Libraries. The books are stored at Potential Development. Anyone wanting to help, please contact Deb Flora or Elayne Bozick.
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