Fun and energy down South

Mayor Tim Shadbolt - known for his
energuy and humour

This Friday Jenny and I head on down to Invercargill - a city tucked into the southern most part of New Zealand.  Mayor Tim Shadbolt is a colourful character and has done much to raise the profile of this city with his humour and energy.  Come to think of it, is this what can raise the profile of Rotary?  
The fun and humour we enjoy is contagious.  This is the very substance of the enjoyment we receive amongst like-minded people every time we meet.  And energy is only present in a group of Rotarians when they have a purpose and a focus - especially with community centered projects.

Southland here we come

It will be fun going to Institute.  It will be even greater fun meeting up with many dear friends.  Finally the energy we will gain as we meet up with our future leaders incoming RI President Ron Burton will be not only enjoyable, but will also raise the profile of Rotary in New Zealand.

Public Image presentations will be made at both Institute and Governor Elect Training sessions.

Connecting - are we?

In Rotary there is much effort being put into advertising campaigns.  We have the wonderful support from Rotary International in providing grants to assist in this marketing.  We have the social media tools which in some Clubs and Districts are being well used.  We use banners and high visibility clothing in some places and we are starting to pick up our game with appointing PR-focused members to look out for opportunities.
And then on the other hand we have a wonderful story.  Our activity in the community and around the world speaks volumes about the passion and the generosity of our volunteers.  We change lives, we save lives and we are doing so with sustainable projects that reach out into our community.

But are we connecting?

We have the marketing methods on one hand and we have a powerful message to tell.  But are we effectively communicating this message to those in our target audience who also want to give back to the community?  To improve our efforts in attracting new members to Rotary we need to connect.  We need to connect people with people.  We need to connect our story to individuals through effective marketing and effective public relations.  To do this we need to re-examine what we are (or in cases what we are not) doing.

Training in your Club, evaluating what you are doing and examining and adopting those methods working elsewhere in Rotary are key steps that any Club can take.  Let's examine those Clubs that are growing.  Those Clubs who are attracting new members and identify what it is that is allowing them to 'connect'.

Are we connecting?  I suggest in most cases we are not doing as well as we can.  We have a wonderful story but if we neglect our 'story-telling' we run the risk of self-extinction.

What others are saying about Rotary

“Rotary has the ability to organize campaigns to mobilize support for some of the worthiest causes that exist, and that makes Rotary a precious resource.”

– Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary-General

“Rotary’s PolioPlus program is a shining example of the achievements made possible by cooperation between the United Nations and nongovernmental organizations.”

– Kofi Annan, former UN secretary-general

 

 

“I admire the Rotary promise to solve problems that destroy lives and trample dreams and human potential.”

–Queen Noor al-Hussein of Jordan

“Through my contact with Rotary, I learned about the importance of community service. The Rotary motto of Service Above Self has left a deep impression and has guided me since. I would like to express my profound gratitude to The Rotary Foundation for having given me that unique opportunity and a solid foundation that eventually led me to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, a global service organization to protect those fleeing from armed conflict and persecution.”

– Sadako Ogata, Japanese prime minister’s special representative for assistance to Afghanistan

Adding to our reputation - good PR

Our message must say what we do!

Audiences want what Rotary offers. We just need to help them understand.

        Siegel+Gale’s research with donors showed 19 shared global motivators. Thing like “transparency” and “attracting people of the highest ethical standards.” Things like “helping me feel like part of something meaningful” and a “long track record of success.” Things we’re good at and some things we could do better.

        Understanding however is a hurdle.

        With every organization there is a gap between what internal audiences know and what external audiences know. Research shows that Rotary’s gap is two to three times larger than average. Obviously, this is not a good position and underscores the importance of clarity and focus as critical components of our future success.

 

The fight is on to completely eliminate polio from the planet

Rotary is continuing the fight against polio and the media need to spread the word.

Rotarians - tell your other Rotarian friends and tell your community.

We are 'this close' to stamping out polio and need a concerted effort to finish the job!

View more here

The world needs to know!

Winds of Change - a must buy!!

Click on the image

Rotary Global Run 4 Water

We will raise money so we can support Rotary Water Grants which will help supply clean drinking water to the less fortunate people around the world.

Learn more ...

Listen to the passion of one Rotarian who is playing his part to improve the quality of lives for many.  Is this not why we are Rotarians? 

Coca Cola supports Rotary in Pakistan

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On 7 April, in honor of World Health Day, a team of Rotarians, Rotary partners, and employees from Coca-Cola Beverages Pakistan joined forces to pick up garbage and conduct a cleanup campaign in Union Council 4, Gadap Town, Pakistan.

Gadap Town is one of Karachi’s high risk areas for the wild polio virus, and was chosen for the cleanup campaign because environmental samples have tested positive for the virus since 2009. Union Council 4 is the most populous of Gadap Town’s eight Union Councils, with a population of 450,000.

RI’s Pakistan PolioPlus Committee and Coca-Cola Pakistan are joining forces to build awareness for Rotary’s polio eradication campaign and emphasize the importance of polio immunizations nationwide.