July 16, 2008

Minutes of Lake Murray Irmo Rotary Club
07/16/2008
Reporter: Kevin Adams

After the invocation, John Hanson was called upon to introduce our guest from the West Metro Rotary Club, Ryan Hubbard. Lyn Richards was our pinch hitter for Health and Happiness. Jeff Baldwin was recognized for his 65th birthday while Barry Johns and his wife celebrated their 24th wedding anniversary and Larry Stohs and his wife celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary. John Adair was then called upon to announce the classification speaker and invocation schedules for the remainder of the year. Next, Rod Funderburk advised that our Ambassadorial Scholar, Samantha Martin, has a blogspot for her journey to Northern Ireland: http://peaceandpaint.blogspot.com . Her email address is samathamartin08@gmail.com .

Being the impressive club that we are, we (okay a mere few of us) impressed Lyn Campbell by successfully answering his Rotarian magazine questions. It was most fortuitous “we” scored well since our District Governor, Anne Walker, and Assistant District Governor, George McConnell, were present. A second occasion to impress Ms. Walker and Mr. McConnell was Patty Cavanaugh’s induction of Gaye Campbell, Lynn Campbell’s wife, as a Paul Harris Fellow.

President Eddie Robinson put a twist on the Happy Dollar theme by creating a challenge between two former club presidents (one of which who was not present) to see who could raise the most Happy Dollars. President Eddie started things off well with a $2 award to the Absentee Former President to get him started off on the right foot. Joel Collins, the other former club president in the challenge, returned fire with a $20 Happy Dollar. When all the dust has settled, Former President Joel had $124 to Absentee Former President $4. It was the first time more than $100 had been raised in Happy Dollars in a single day!

Assistant District Governor George McConnell introduced our speaker, District Governor Anne Walker. Ms. Walker is no stranger to Rotary. She has been a Rotarian since 1988 and is a former president of the Columbia Club.

Ms. Walker started by asking how many of those present were in sales. Several folks raised their hands. She then asked the remainder of those present to raise their hands. She explained why everyone had their hands up: we are all in sales. Every time we go somewhere, we sell our personality, we sell our company with those whom we talk business, we sell our faith, etc. We also sell Rotary.

Every successful business has one thing in common: a plan. To grow Rotary membership, we must also have a plan. So Anne suggested ROTARY:

Reach out to those we come in contact. Share Rotary.
Opportunities are out there for us to advance Rotary. Seize those opportunities.
Take people by the hand. Lead them around Rotary meetings.
Ask people to come to Rotary. 90% of Rotarians have never asked anyone to a meeting.
Retention. We must retain members if we are to grow.
You need to be an advocate of Rotary if you want our club to be a great club.

She then distributed a 3X5 index card and asked everyone to write a name of a potential Rotarian on it. Anne then insisted we fold the card twice and keep it in our pocket until we ask that person to a meeting.

In the last five years, District 7770 has been recognized twice as having the largest per capita giving of all the clubs in Rotary International. In addition to repeated that feat, this year Anne would also like to add 2,000 members to our present 4500 members.

Anne then cited RI President Dong Kum Lee’s theme of “Make Dreams Real.” His initiatives include curtailing child mortality, improving literacy and providing safe drinking water in the poorest regions of the world. To reach for those initiatives, Anne reminded us of opportunities through Rotary Foundation. There is the Paul Harris Society for those who contribute $1,000 or more per year to the Foundation. Major Donors are those who contribute $10,000 or more to the Foundation. Then there is the Bequest Society for those who set aside $10,000 for the Foundation in their will. Benefactors are those who set aside at least $1,000 in their will for the benefit of the Foundation. While in Hilton Head on March 25, 2009, International President Dong Kum Lee will present pins to Major Donors and Bequest Society members. In Sumter on September 18, there will be a Rotary Foundation Seminar for all those who would like to attend.

The District Conference will be held in Columbia from March 20-22, 2009 (Friday through Sunday) at the Hampton Inn and Convention Center in the Vista. The Conference will kick off with a luncheon on Friday who speaker is an outstanding humorist. Anne promises it will be nothing more than pure entertainment and she encouraged our club to move our normal meeting date that week to Friday. The remainder of the weekend is filled with activities and outstanding speakers and will conclude Sunday morning with a worship service.

Finally, to help make wonderful things happen in our club, Anne presented Eddie with an illuminated magic wand to waive over the club. Somehow I have a feeling we will be seeing more of that!

Lastly, Eddie reminded Board members of a meeting Friday morning at 7:30 and advised us Former President Beetle Bailey is doing well in rehab. Being no further business, Eddie adjourned the meeting.