District 7780 - Chair Message

July is a new beginning in Rotary each year - we need to take this opportunity in our clubs to assess and re-energize our focus on membership. President John Kenny has given us a wonderful theme in 2009-10 with "The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands" and its significance can't be any more meaningful than our individual and collective responsibility to membership growth.

We have forty-one individual clubs in our district today and forty-one membership chairs. But, one Rotarian in each club does not make a membership committee. It is my goal this year for every club to have a membership committee consisting of fellow Rotarians of experience, well respected and dedicated to the continued strength and growth of our clubs. If, together we can focus on every aspect of membership, valuing & appreciating our existing members, and inviting and inducting sought after members of our community to join our organization, then we will grow each and every month!

We are wise to listen to President John Kenny's philosophy on membership as stated in this month's issue of the Rotarian magazine. ‘His priority for membership is quality, not quantity. We must all look at retention and to do that we must bring in the right people, not just look at numbers. We must keep advocating the need for high ethical standards in business and private life. He firmly believes that if you invite a respected person from the community to join Rotary, then other respected people will follow. All of us as Rotarians must be advocates for maintaining high standards of behavior, be involved in our service projects, fundraisers and at our weekly club meetings and ultimately good, future Rotarians will be joining our club.'

So, if you haven't already, select your membership committee, dust off that classification list, identify well respected people in your community and formulate a plan to make them members of your Rotary club this year! Remember, the future of Rotary is indeed in your hands!

Yours in Rotary service,

Brad Jett, PDG

District 7780 Membership Chair

2009- 2010