Our DG this year has a presence! The large turnout for a meeting which typically doesn’t attract large turn-ups (Julie’s own comment!) is testament to that.
To the business part. Julie’s (and probably RI’s) theme is: "You, Me & Us. Let’s Give to the World.”
Julie made the point that Rotary is “about you” – meaning each one of us at Rotarians.
She went on to give us a few key statements about “Me”, meaning her (confusing isn’t it!). She’s a country girl born and brought up on Koroit, who left home to go to teachers college at 17.
Then started the challenges. Having established that a considerable number of those at the lunch have or are serving on a District Committee she challenged us by asking how many of us will do so over the next ten years. She was not overwhelmed by the response, but the year is young!
There were presentation slides about the “Us” and Rotary.
Then it was on to Julie’s aspirations for her year in office.
She asked us to:
share the current Rotary story;
share her goal of every Club adding at least one member a month, for a net increase in the year of twelve; and
explore new ideas.
Julie in turn committed to be visible, timely, and offer practical support the the Clubs in District 9800.
Returning to membership numbers, apparently there were 3,000 Rotarians in the District five years ago and Julie wants to see us return, or exceed that number by the end of her year in office.
Our District Governor continued to hold our interest as she described the “Signature Events” in the year:
“Purple Fingers for Polio” in October;
“Social Inclusion Week” in November;
Rotary’s Birthday in February 2016, with each Club providing “A Club Selfie”!!;
“Women in Rotary Breakfast” in March;
“Rotary at Work in the Community” in April;
To all that Julie added, without time-lines, a Group Vocational Exchange to the Philippines, a Vocational Training Team to Cambodia, a new District Facebook page, “Telling the Rotary Story Through Video”. Whoo!!
Julie brought us back to earth with the statement that “our District mantra is “It’s all about the Clubs.” District is there to support the Clubs”
Then came the more detailed challenged, and Julie indicated that AG Gabe Hau acting on her behalf will be working with Hawthorn Rotary on various projects:
a cluster event/project;
possibly an Interact Club;
even an Earlyact Club;
Membership Committee support a; and
Youth Exchange/Group Vocational Exchange hosting.
Julie threw out a specific challenge to Gabe and all of us – to sponsor an Interact Club.
Getting to the end of her talk, Julie talked about “Our Foundation Your Bank”, thanking the Club and members for their past support, mentioning the Paul Harris Society – and talking of the works of the Foundation, including cluster grants and End Polio Now” support.
The final request from Julie was to get “on the Road to Bendigo” for the District Conference in 2016, where there will be “extraordinary speakers that will inspire”, opportunities to “learn about amazing Rotary projects and people” – and, of course, to make friends and have fun!!!
That was a “heavy” speech, no doubt given many times before and to be given to other Clubs over the next few weeks. But it was delivered with a spontaneity and freshness which couldn’t help but enthuse listeners.
This is a DG who is going to leave her mark!!
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