My job as chair of the reunion dinner for my class of 2012-2013 has moved along nicely. I have 29 districts whose DGNs (and spouses/significants) I need to get together for dinner. So far I have responses from 24 of the 25 that have been appointed. Only one "no", and one has not responded. There are still 4 districts that do not have DGNs yet.
I have selected a restaurant based on a referral from our R.I. director's wife, who lives in Naples and have worked out many of the details with the restaurant's GM.
It should be a nice evening of fellowship.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
PETS Meeting
Yesterday I got together with the Florida Multi District PETS committee. The meeting included the Executive Committee, the incoming DGE's whose PETS is being planned, my class of incoming DGNs to observe and the District Trainers from the 8 Florida districts. The committee meets five time during the year but also accomplished tasks on the business site LinkedIn. Being included as an incoming DGN is a wonderful opportunity. Next March, when we start planning our PETS, we have have a good understanding of the process.
Some of the things accomplished yesterday included a review of the 2010 PETS Financial Reports and and a tentative agreement on the new budget. The budget will be approved at the October meeting which takes place at Zone Institute. The committee elected to not have the sit down dinner for the 60+ folks on the operating committee Thursday night but instead to have light appetizers and a cash bar reception that everyone arriving Thursday can enjoy. The committee also decided on the registration packet container. In the past each attendee received a large 3 ring binder stuffed with materials. This was to be eliminated and the materials would be handed out at Pre PETS in each district and the registration packet would only include a flash drive of all R.I. manuals, etc. along with any district distinct materials. At the meeting they decided to go with a clear plastic envelope that would contain the flash drive, name badge, pad of paper and theme items.
A good deal of time was spent reviewing training issues and the surveys from last year(s). Three large items were addressed. One being the request of attendees to spend more time with other PEs or AGs, another about using the AGs more effectively - it is joked that they are currently just entertained, and the final and most aggressively worked on was the duplication of training that takes place between RLI, Pre PETS, District Leadership Training and PETS. Of significant help was a three page list we were given of items it is felt PEs should know that will not be covered at PETS. These can be covered back in our districts or at PETS during the district breakouts.
A conversation of what should or could be accomplished at Pre PETS that is not now being done included the distribution of training materials, passing out goals sheets and results from previous years to better prepare PEs for their club goals, collecting information from them for the district roster and discussing what PETS is like so they don't show up big eyed like a deer caught in headlights.
Seven items on the consent agenda we approved. I will not list them all but it ranged from confirming the speakers to ordering flash drives to continuing with PETS Exchange. I will expand on the latter. Our PETS Chair attends another PETS somewhere and their chair attends ours. It is a great way to learn areas you could improve. This past year our chair reported on New England PETS improved registration system, much of which was voted to adopt by the current committee.
Another key handout was a timeline of what the DGE's have to have accomplished and by what date. No guessing! What a concept!
All in all it was a day well spent.
Some of the things accomplished yesterday included a review of the 2010 PETS Financial Reports and and a tentative agreement on the new budget. The budget will be approved at the October meeting which takes place at Zone Institute. The committee elected to not have the sit down dinner for the 60+ folks on the operating committee Thursday night but instead to have light appetizers and a cash bar reception that everyone arriving Thursday can enjoy. The committee also decided on the registration packet container. In the past each attendee received a large 3 ring binder stuffed with materials. This was to be eliminated and the materials would be handed out at Pre PETS in each district and the registration packet would only include a flash drive of all R.I. manuals, etc. along with any district distinct materials. At the meeting they decided to go with a clear plastic envelope that would contain the flash drive, name badge, pad of paper and theme items.
A good deal of time was spent reviewing training issues and the surveys from last year(s). Three large items were addressed. One being the request of attendees to spend more time with other PEs or AGs, another about using the AGs more effectively - it is joked that they are currently just entertained, and the final and most aggressively worked on was the duplication of training that takes place between RLI, Pre PETS, District Leadership Training and PETS. Of significant help was a three page list we were given of items it is felt PEs should know that will not be covered at PETS. These can be covered back in our districts or at PETS during the district breakouts.
A conversation of what should or could be accomplished at Pre PETS that is not now being done included the distribution of training materials, passing out goals sheets and results from previous years to better prepare PEs for their club goals, collecting information from them for the district roster and discussing what PETS is like so they don't show up big eyed like a deer caught in headlights.
Seven items on the consent agenda we approved. I will not list them all but it ranged from confirming the speakers to ordering flash drives to continuing with PETS Exchange. I will expand on the latter. Our PETS Chair attends another PETS somewhere and their chair attends ours. It is a great way to learn areas you could improve. This past year our chair reported on New England PETS improved registration system, much of which was voted to adopt by the current committee.
Another key handout was a timeline of what the DGE's have to have accomplished and by what date. No guessing! What a concept!
All in all it was a day well spent.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Membership Strategy Meeting at HQ
This past Monday I was invited to a Zone 34 membership meeting at R.I. Headquarters in Evanston. It was actually a workshop where the participants more or less laid out a new membership strategy. Three groups worked independently and the results are curently being compiled. Zone 34 will be the first zone in the world to take this new approach so it is quite exciting. On Tuesday morning two of us had a tour of the headquarters building and met with Ed Futa and Ray Klinginsmith, which was cool.
I am looking forward to being part of this new strategy. I hope we will turn around the membership free fall we have been experiencing in North America and will report more on this later.
I am looking forward to being part of this new strategy. I hope we will turn around the membership free fall we have been experiencing in North America and will report more on this later.
District Conference Wrap Up
District Conference was a big success.
First, the Thursday evening cocktail hour where I made my guitar debut after 38 years was a lot of fun. It truly was.
The conference was held at a resort on the Gulf of Mexico. Thursday night was the cocktail party for the "Nifty Fifty" which is the first 50 signing up for the conference. It was a nice evening of fellowship.
The conference had a new format. The plenary sessions ended at noon and everyone had the afternoons off to relax and enjoy family and friends. (Well, almost everyone. The governor corp had additional meetings in the afternoons.) I polled my AGs after the conference and nearly all liked having that down time although a couple would have liked some planned social activities.
Friday evening was the Governor's banquet with his awards given out. Saturday evening was DGE's banquet with the changing of the guard ceremony. I received my DGN pin during that ceremony but I cannot wear it until July 1st.
The conference was so well attended that my conference chair is again looking for a venue. The one we had tentatively selected may not be large enough.
One last note. The plenary sessions had excellent speakers and were not instructional classes but a look at what Rotary has achieved.
All in all it was a very nice conference.
First, the Thursday evening cocktail hour where I made my guitar debut after 38 years was a lot of fun. It truly was.
The conference was held at a resort on the Gulf of Mexico. Thursday night was the cocktail party for the "Nifty Fifty" which is the first 50 signing up for the conference. It was a nice evening of fellowship.
The conference had a new format. The plenary sessions ended at noon and everyone had the afternoons off to relax and enjoy family and friends. (Well, almost everyone. The governor corp had additional meetings in the afternoons.) I polled my AGs after the conference and nearly all liked having that down time although a couple would have liked some planned social activities.
Friday evening was the Governor's banquet with his awards given out. Saturday evening was DGE's banquet with the changing of the guard ceremony. I received my DGN pin during that ceremony but I cannot wear it until July 1st.
The conference was so well attended that my conference chair is again looking for a venue. The one we had tentatively selected may not be large enough.
One last note. The plenary sessions had excellent speakers and were not instructional classes but a look at what Rotary has achieved.
All in all it was a very nice conference.
Monday, May 10, 2010
District Conference this weekend
Wow, I am scared to death! For the first time in 38 years I will be playing my guitar (bass) in front of a live audience. This Thursday some of us Rotarians are going to jam after the paid band ends its gig. One hour of fun. My knees are shaking. More next week. :)
Zone Conference, 2010
As the chair for my class dinner at Zone this year I have emailed to all requesting information on whether or not they and their significant other will be attending and will they be coming to our class dinner. I have heard back from almost a third in the past three days, which is good. I learned that each group of District Governors is considered a class and they get together for years after their DG year to share friendship. Pretty cool. I have 25 DGNDs in Zone 33 & 34 to pull together and I am sure we will all be friends after the Zone Institute in October.
Rotary's Camp Florida
Saturday I was officially elected to the board of directors of Rotary's Camp Florida. My time committment is one meeting a month plus whatever committee I am assigned to. The camp, which serves special need children from Aids to MS is really a great project so while this appointment will cut into my already thin time, it is well worth it and I look forward to serving my year. All DGNs in my district are expected to spend their DGN year on the board.
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