District Assembly 30 April/1 May Berry
Attended District Assembly with President Bob Antill. Unlike my experience at the Annual Conference last year in Canberra in 2015, this had an informative and well presented programme. I attended the Rotary Foundation and International sessions and it was heartening to hear about the work that was being carried out.
It was also my impression that we as a club seem to punch above our weight.
President Antill gave a rundown on how we have put defibrillators around Narooma and now we are hoping with Moruya and Bateman Bay Rotary Clubs to have them throughout the Eurobodella
To be honest I had been in two minds as to the benefits of INTERACT until I heard two young women give a talk at our dinner that night. They were articulate, interesting and forceful in getting their message across as to the value of INTERACT and I left converted.
It was then interesting to hear the next morning about clubs in our District in seeking to establish an INTERACT CLUB. It was readily apparent that it was a major task that required on going intensive support from Rotary Club members, but with such support being in the background. President Antill is hoping to move forward with the planning of an INTERACT CLUB in Narooma and I hope the club will get behind him with support.
He will have my full support in 16/17 and hopefully that will continue in the future.
Some trivia but not trivial, did you realise that there is a BAN on Rotarians being in any other service club?
This was revealed to me when we were told of a rule change that would allow a member of ROTORACT to be also a member of ROTARY. ( catch they have to pay both annual fees).
At first I laughed thinking it was a joke that if you were in rotoract you could not be in rotary. Yes folks it is true. While I have not seen the definition of what is a service club, but presumably you can’t be in CWA and Rotary and ditto for Zonta Probus and obviously Lions.
I am still dumbfounded by this and can’t understand the logic behind this. Why should a membership of Lions debar you from Rotary and vice versa if you fulfil the requirements ( apart from Rotary’s ban) of both service clubs by serving your community.
Finally, we were told that the rule is now, or will be shortly, that we are only required to have 2 meetings a month and that it need not be specifically a dinner, lunch or breakfast meeting.
Think of the opportunities to liven up Rotary in Naroooma, so hopefully we can put on our thinking caps and come up with innovative meeting suggestions/locations to embrace change which seems to be a key message at the District Assembly if we are to survive and progress.
Michael