President's Diary

On what has happened this Rotary year

Rotary year 2015 -2016 - Notes from Club Assembly 16 June 2015

I am proud to be able to follow on from Stan, our outgoing president, and his ideas who has worked very hard during the previous year

What are our Themes for next year?

Our Motto Service above self.

RI International theme for year. Be a gift to the world K.R. "Ravi" Ravindran

Our Club theme - Let’s change people’s lives for the better. Make a difference – internationally and in the community

Team Rotary – is about people and the members make a great team

Dave as President Elect, Alan as treasurer and Peter as secretary providing both wealth & experience.

Chairs committees all strong, with back up from deputies.

International Janet with Clive giving support

Community Pat with Rachel backing him

Youth Di with Dave as deputy

Foundation Chrissie with Steve as support

Membership Trevor, with different roles Margaret on administration and meals, John Health & Safety, Child Protection, diversity and Keith with Welfare and PR all supporting him

Sport Carolyn

Facebook Janet

Website Stan Rachel Pat and myself

To bring together coordinating activities Rachel will be managing Porthole, website and diary as well as table tops.

Please run by Rachel all events for diary to make sure no clashes and can then go on website and Porthole

I would like our Committees to work closely together.

Rather than individual chairmen who in the past may sometimes have felt rather alone there are now named deputies not only to stand in but to work closely together with the other members of the team

Committees may work together on larger projects and co-opt from each other.

Foundation and international. Community and youth. All natural partners

Obviously if we organize a large event then all members will be involved

I have tried to move members around different committees, though with some people’s expertise in certain fields it has been better to stay in that role. Also I have tried to change the chairs to give variation and to try to follow a career path.

I want to work closely with each committee and be involved. But committee chairman have a free hand to be innovative without me being dictatorial.

Over this year I shall need much support from all the members. There is an awful lot I don’t know. But it is a two way thing and I have committed myself to this year and shall do as much as I can to support all of you.

Website

I would like the website to become a main source of information and reference. Website is already being updated.

Meeting minutes in members section,

Meetings and events accompanied by pictures,

Porthole current and back issues under ‘What we do’.

There is an updated section on Club history, events, timeline over the years and projects

More changes coming such as changing the front page pictures to personalise the site

We will publish a club handbook. Both in print and on the web.

Venue

Everybody is happy with the Aqua Hotel. The food is excellent and the staff could not be more accommodating

Meetings and Speakers

The system last year has worked well. I see no need to change.

No speaker finder – but committees organizing 2 or 3 months in the year – not only gives involvement to all members and gives variation.

As before each committee will organize the speakers for their month and a fundraising or social occasion.

1^st Tuesday Committees, 2^nd Speaker and Council, 3^rd Business, last Guest Evening,

When there are 5 Tuesdays, I would like to encourage going elsewhere. A club visit e.g. glass blowing and then restaurant or pub. A games evening as we did with bowling.

Reminder bring partners to more meetings. Not just the guest evening.

Charities

I would like to promote 3 areas

Local charities and people in the community on Portland. For me SJA. Let’s change people’s lives and make a difference on Portland for both local charities and for individuals in the community.
International Again for me it is Nepal. ShelterBox too and probably over water survival box as ShelterBox contains a tent for a family

Nepal is somewhere where we really have helped to change people’s lives. One member said he felt really proud that our club has its name plaque on projects in Nepal. We made a difference. Both with water and now with the earthquake

Nepal visit with a group of members to Nepal will be a highlight, despite being somewhat marred by the earthquake. Personally I feel that does make it more important to go. Walks pre Nepal will continue monthly for all members.

The Rotary Foundation TRF – Our charity

TRF does huge projects all over the world. Although they seem remote, after being involved in a Technical Review on a mammography project in India and Maternal & Child Health in Nigeria showed how important the work that TRF and our donations contribute. Again change people’s lives for better

End Polio Now

In the last year cases worldwide are Nigeria 0 Pakistan 13 Afghanistan 1. Let’s get the job finished.

Membership

We are a smaller club. Our priority is membership and we are about to have our membership drive on 23^rd June. I have high hopes.

We are 24 and increasing. We are a club where all members get on well. We work hard. We have social events. We enjoy ourselves. We are comfortable with ourselves.

I feel very positive about our membership increasing and the future of the club

Service

Our club has a reputation for being very active, particularly Service. We organise many events such as Christmas sleigh and deliveries, children’s party, tripartite tea for the elderly, kids out, working with the schools, helping at external events and loads more.

The level of activities last year e.g. at Christmas was just right. We cut our cloth to suit. We didn’t take on too much but we still achieved a high profile in the community. We also enjoyed ourselves

Let’s continue to enjoy giving service, inspire others, and be a strong club. Feel good. Feel proud of what we do.

Working with other clubs

We have ties especially with Harbourside and Casterbridge

I would like to see continued links with other clubs.

We have shared events with Harbourside

We have linked closely with Casterbridge and our water projects and two members with their partners in their club. They are joining us on our Nepal trip and we have invited them, and been invited to, social and fund raising functions.

District meetings at Street occur quarterly. Come and meet other club members. All members welcome not just chairs. Come to the district conference and meet other club members and get new ideas.

Social

Let’s work together. Let’s have variety and do new things with events that we would all like to join in.

Handover in two weeks is aimed at being a social and fun event not just handing over the chains.

Thanks to Clive he and I with our wives plan a garden wine afternoon/evening at his house on August 9th.

Stan and Sarah, despite all their house moving are organising a summer buffet on 15^th August. Both social events that will also raise some money for our charities.

I will continue with the monthly walks which Casterbridge & Poundbury will also be invited.

Let’s have more trips and visits as a club.

Conclusion - concentrate on 2 of our core values.

Service and Fellowship

Our Prime aim is Service - to our community, internationally and via Foundation.

Let’s have a club where we support each other, and enjoy our roles both in the community and socially, bringing the club members closer together.

Let’s have a fun year

Let’s make that difference to both our local and international community.