March 12th was Rotary Camp Florida's Day at the Races where clubs from throughout the state are invited to a day of fellowship and thouroughbred horse racing. This day just happened to also be the Tampa Bay Derby, a stakes race with Kentucky Derby hopefuls. It only costs Rotarians $2 to attend and that includes lunch, dogs, chicken, strawberry shortcake, etc. The camp receives a portion of the track's para mutual pool, along with three or four other non profits, during he course of the year, as required by the state. It is significant money, exceeding $20K for the camp.
I may have mentioned it last year, but the camp specialized in children with handicaps, challenges or serious illnesses. It is supported by Florida Rotary Clubs.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
PETS
The first stop in recreating these past three months has to be PETS.
The long weekend started with a tour of next year's facility. This is pretty key because that is where my PETS will be held. With all eight Florida Districts taking part in PETS, we had outgrown our old facilities and had to restrict attendance. The food had not been good the past couple years and moving from one meeting to another required walking outdoors, which is tough in pouring rain and high winds on your way to a banquet. The new facility is all under one roof, and while we expect there will be wrinkles to iron out, there is room to grow. The chairman of our executive committee is also an attorney who specialized in these type contracts was got us what appears to be a very favorable contract, costing no more than the other, smaller facility.
Friday morning the current PETS board, the DGEs whose PEs and AGs were being trained, met with us, the incoming board to pass along any issues that had come up during their year. Most of them had to do with logistics, things we hope the new facility will take care of.
I took part in our District's three breakout sessions - times where district specific training took place. I facilitated one session titles "How Can We Help You?" where I went over all the different resources available to them as club presidents, as well as those available to their standing committee chairs. One of the things we did this year as a training team - and I am happy to say was my contribution - was to align our district structure with the club structure as described in the Club Leadership Plan. This allowed us to print a simple "Quick Reference Guide" that listed the district and R.I. resources available for each position in the club. Every office and chair and sub-chair at the club level has a counterpart at the district level. Pretty cool, pretty simple.
Other than the district breakouts my time was spent in board meetings, setting out the 2012 PETS so I was unable to observe the multi-district training sessions. I have seen them many times before, but it's still nice to keep up as I always seem to learn something new.
By the time PETS was over on Saturday, my 2012-2013 DG classmates had a good start. It really helps to have the executive committee of experienced folks with good continuity to advise us. It is a pretty well oiled machine. However we did go home with some homework. We had to notify our district of a $20 per attendee increase in cost and we had to start thinking about staff. Each of us will have to recommend two people for the operations committee and four people to work as discussion leaders.
One of the cool things we decided on has nothing to do with training. On Thursday evening it is traditional to have a cocktail part with light appetizers for the arriving PEs and their spouses. With our new faility being directly across the street from Disney, our group pushed back the time a bit and made it a dessert reception, cash bar, on the top, 27th, floor - a glass enclosed penthouse where we can enjoy fellowship and watch the fireworks at Disney. Pretty fun idea.
The long weekend started with a tour of next year's facility. This is pretty key because that is where my PETS will be held. With all eight Florida Districts taking part in PETS, we had outgrown our old facilities and had to restrict attendance. The food had not been good the past couple years and moving from one meeting to another required walking outdoors, which is tough in pouring rain and high winds on your way to a banquet. The new facility is all under one roof, and while we expect there will be wrinkles to iron out, there is room to grow. The chairman of our executive committee is also an attorney who specialized in these type contracts was got us what appears to be a very favorable contract, costing no more than the other, smaller facility.
Friday morning the current PETS board, the DGEs whose PEs and AGs were being trained, met with us, the incoming board to pass along any issues that had come up during their year. Most of them had to do with logistics, things we hope the new facility will take care of.
I took part in our District's three breakout sessions - times where district specific training took place. I facilitated one session titles "How Can We Help You?" where I went over all the different resources available to them as club presidents, as well as those available to their standing committee chairs. One of the things we did this year as a training team - and I am happy to say was my contribution - was to align our district structure with the club structure as described in the Club Leadership Plan. This allowed us to print a simple "Quick Reference Guide" that listed the district and R.I. resources available for each position in the club. Every office and chair and sub-chair at the club level has a counterpart at the district level. Pretty cool, pretty simple.
Other than the district breakouts my time was spent in board meetings, setting out the 2012 PETS so I was unable to observe the multi-district training sessions. I have seen them many times before, but it's still nice to keep up as I always seem to learn something new.
By the time PETS was over on Saturday, my 2012-2013 DG classmates had a good start. It really helps to have the executive committee of experienced folks with good continuity to advise us. It is a pretty well oiled machine. However we did go home with some homework. We had to notify our district of a $20 per attendee increase in cost and we had to start thinking about staff. Each of us will have to recommend two people for the operations committee and four people to work as discussion leaders.
One of the cool things we decided on has nothing to do with training. On Thursday evening it is traditional to have a cocktail part with light appetizers for the arriving PEs and their spouses. With our new faility being directly across the street from Disney, our group pushed back the time a bit and made it a dessert reception, cash bar, on the top, 27th, floor - a glass enclosed penthouse where we can enjoy fellowship and watch the fireworks at Disney. Pretty fun idea.
BLOG PROBLEMS
As mentioned in my last post, I was disappointed to find out all my posts since just before PETS had disappeared. Then I found out I couldn't even make publish a new post. You can imagine those revelations did not make me a happy camper as I have put a little effort into this project, so I spent a large part of a of a day trying to figure it out. I am not a techno geek, but after doing a lot of reading about Blogger issues I found several similar to mine.
While I still do not know the cause, I found out it was a compatibility issue with Internet Explorer, perhaps in the settings, I don't know. It was suggested I use Mozilla Firefox, which is also on my system. I tried it and am using it now with no issues.
It is now my premise that my previous posts never properly published, so I will do the best I can and back track. Sorry for the lack of continuity.
While I still do not know the cause, I found out it was a compatibility issue with Internet Explorer, perhaps in the settings, I don't know. It was suggested I use Mozilla Firefox, which is also on my system. I tried it and am using it now with no issues.
It is now my premise that my previous posts never properly published, so I will do the best I can and back track. Sorry for the lack of continuity.
District Governor Elect
WOW! All my posts since before PETS are gone! Even the drafts!
My intent was to post today that I went to bed as a DGN and woke up as a DGE. I wanted to reflect on how blazing fast the past year and a half since my selection in November, 2009 has flown by. To come to grips that there is but one short year remaining to complete my education and prepare for 2012-2013. WOW! But now it appears I will be spending some time trying to recreate previous posts, now lost in cyberspace. I will do my best although I doubt I will be able to recall everything, even with my calendar and notes. What started out as a fun day's post has turned very unfortunate.
Update: Found I couldn't make new posts either. It is something with Internet Explorer 8. (found that issue online) Used my other browser, Mozzila Firefox, and I could post. Perhaps my other my other posts never actually published?
My intent was to post today that I went to bed as a DGN and woke up as a DGE. I wanted to reflect on how blazing fast the past year and a half since my selection in November, 2009 has flown by. To come to grips that there is but one short year remaining to complete my education and prepare for 2012-2013. WOW! But now it appears I will be spending some time trying to recreate previous posts, now lost in cyberspace. I will do my best although I doubt I will be able to recall everything, even with my calendar and notes. What started out as a fun day's post has turned very unfortunate.
Update: Found I couldn't make new posts either. It is something with Internet Explorer 8. (found that issue online) Used my other browser, Mozzila Firefox, and I could post. Perhaps my other my other posts never actually published?
Sunday, February 27, 2011
PETS Board of Directors, 2012 PETS
Behind the scenes at this year's PETS I will be attending the first sessions of our new board, already beginning the planning for my PETS, 2012, before this one has even been completed.
I starts Thursday with a tour of our new facility. We have been at the same resort for nine years, since Multi District PETS came into being. We have outgrown the faciloity and have been forced to limit attendance, excluding, or not encouraging spouses, etc. that we think are important. Our district is the only one the pays for spoused to attend and the others have not been encourage due to lack of space. Since my class will be the first at the new facility it will be up to us to work out as many wrinkles as we can for the next class.
On Friday at 4:00 PM we have our first planning meeting for the 2012 PETS. This past year we met twice as a group on our own and discussed the upcoming year, we also sat in on all the 2011 PETS board meetings just to observe and learn. There are five of those meetings each year.
Saturday morning at 9:00 AM our board meets in its second session. This one lasts the entire morning.
Saturday afternoon, after PETS is adjourned, we have a wrap up meeting including this year's board an ours. We have one year to make next year's PETS better, the goal of every board.
I look forward to updating this blog on both PETS and the progress of our new board, the new facility, etc. once this is over. For now it is just preparing for this next week.
Until next time.
I starts Thursday with a tour of our new facility. We have been at the same resort for nine years, since Multi District PETS came into being. We have outgrown the faciloity and have been forced to limit attendance, excluding, or not encouraging spouses, etc. that we think are important. Our district is the only one the pays for spoused to attend and the others have not been encourage due to lack of space. Since my class will be the first at the new facility it will be up to us to work out as many wrinkles as we can for the next class.
On Friday at 4:00 PM we have our first planning meeting for the 2012 PETS. This past year we met twice as a group on our own and discussed the upcoming year, we also sat in on all the 2011 PETS board meetings just to observe and learn. There are five of those meetings each year.
Saturday morning at 9:00 AM our board meets in its second session. This one lasts the entire morning.
Saturday afternoon, after PETS is adjourned, we have a wrap up meeting including this year's board an ours. We have one year to make next year's PETS better, the goal of every board.
I look forward to updating this blog on both PETS and the progress of our new board, the new facility, etc. once this is over. For now it is just preparing for this next week.
Until next time.
This Week = PETS!
This upcoming Thursday - Saturday is All Florida PETS, President Elects Training Seminar. Once we, the District Training Team, got past Pre PETS and Area Leadership Training if was full ahead working on PETS although almost all the preliminary work, the format, etc. was already determined.
In Florida, all the districts get together for one big PETS. With this pooled resource, we can bring in some pretty impressive speakers. As an example, this year the Rotary International President Elect if flying in from India to take part. I attended the last District PETs when I was a president nominee. It was good, but it was all the district folks you saw at everything and there really were no imported high power speakers. The following year as a PE I attended the first multi district PETS. Wow! What a difference! New faces as PDGs and RLI folks from all over the state, some from each district, are used as presenters and the guest speakers? Wow! I have been to nearly every PETS since, I think all but one, for one reason or another, twice as a spouse when my wife was PE and incoming AG. This year it will be more important than ever before. Next year I have to do this for my district. I have a lot to learn through observation this year.
I have one, hour long presentation on Friday titled "How Can We Help You?" It goes through resources from the Presidents Manual, District Leadership (the five standing committees) websites and even R.I. Support. If I were a PE this would be very important to me and I am looking forward to presenting it. I have completed the presentation and handouts and just have to practice. The pressure is pretty much off now.
Agenda.
On Thursday morning my skills will be used as a stuffer, adding our district information to the PETS packages the PEs will receive when they register. Thursday afternoon takes me and my Florida classmates on a tour of our new facility for next year - yes, we have outgrown the current one. Registration begins at noon and there are voluntary sessions on the District and Club Databases and Public Relations and Branding.
Friday things really crank up with District Breakouts beginning at 9:00 AM. These breakouts is where District Specific information is passed along to the PEs. After lunch there is an AG breakout and there are 16 breakouts for PEs, split into groups by club size (and RLI training) so the intruction is as relevent as the issues are different. These sessions are on information in common to everyone regardless of location, club size or any other reference point. There is a banquet with speaker that evening.
Saturday begins with a breakfast and speaker. This day the classes are reversed with the District Breakouts in the afternoon and the All Florida breakouts in the morning. There is a speaker at lunch.
As I said earlier. The most important thing I want to come away with is a good handle on how everything worked. Unfortunately, I will not be able to judge the content of all the sessions as I will have PETS Board work to do - see next post - but I do have a copy of the curriculem.
In Florida, all the districts get together for one big PETS. With this pooled resource, we can bring in some pretty impressive speakers. As an example, this year the Rotary International President Elect if flying in from India to take part. I attended the last District PETs when I was a president nominee. It was good, but it was all the district folks you saw at everything and there really were no imported high power speakers. The following year as a PE I attended the first multi district PETS. Wow! What a difference! New faces as PDGs and RLI folks from all over the state, some from each district, are used as presenters and the guest speakers? Wow! I have been to nearly every PETS since, I think all but one, for one reason or another, twice as a spouse when my wife was PE and incoming AG. This year it will be more important than ever before. Next year I have to do this for my district. I have a lot to learn through observation this year.
I have one, hour long presentation on Friday titled "How Can We Help You?" It goes through resources from the Presidents Manual, District Leadership (the five standing committees) websites and even R.I. Support. If I were a PE this would be very important to me and I am looking forward to presenting it. I have completed the presentation and handouts and just have to practice. The pressure is pretty much off now.
Agenda.
On Thursday morning my skills will be used as a stuffer, adding our district information to the PETS packages the PEs will receive when they register. Thursday afternoon takes me and my Florida classmates on a tour of our new facility for next year - yes, we have outgrown the current one. Registration begins at noon and there are voluntary sessions on the District and Club Databases and Public Relations and Branding.
Friday things really crank up with District Breakouts beginning at 9:00 AM. These breakouts is where District Specific information is passed along to the PEs. After lunch there is an AG breakout and there are 16 breakouts for PEs, split into groups by club size (and RLI training) so the intruction is as relevent as the issues are different. These sessions are on information in common to everyone regardless of location, club size or any other reference point. There is a banquet with speaker that evening.
Saturday begins with a breakfast and speaker. This day the classes are reversed with the District Breakouts in the afternoon and the All Florida breakouts in the morning. There is a speaker at lunch.
As I said earlier. The most important thing I want to come away with is a good handle on how everything worked. Unfortunately, I will not be able to judge the content of all the sessions as I will have PETS Board work to do - see next post - but I do have a copy of the curriculem.
Pre PETS and Area Leadership Training
Wow. These past couple months have been brutal as we, the District Training Team, put together presentations and handouts for two major training programs. The were combined into one day, one in the morning, one if the afternoon, as part of our goal to take fewer days away from Rotarian families for training. It was also meant to cut down on duplication of information.
Pre PETS was made up of all the President Elects and the incoming Assistant Governors. Area Leadership Training included this same group, plus the other two upcoming classes of Assistant Governors.
Pre PETS is training that the President Elects will not receive at PETS and three subjects were covered. Preparing for PETS, How to Run a Successful Club and Meeting and The Club Leadership Plan. There was a general session at the beginning where the incoming Governor introduced her team, went over her experience at the international assembly and introduced the club leadership to the R.I. President's theme for the upcoming year. As a part of the training team I was responsible for creating and delivering the Successful Club/Meeting presentation. We set up three rooms in RLI format and broke the attendees into three smaller groups. The the three presenters moved from room to room, delivering the same presentation to each group.
The afternoon was set aside for Area Leadership Training. This is a new title replacing what used to be called District Leadership Training. In the past, each District Chair got a couple minutes to mention their program and it was decided to eliminate that. It was determined that time did not permit an adequate presentation, so why bother. Instead, we will get that information out in another format. The purpose of the Area Leadership Training was exactly what is sounds like, to get each area working as a team. Again there was a short general session followed by three topics. Goal Setting, Communication and The Area Tri-Leadership Plan. I was responsible for the tri-leadership program which received a major face lift this year. It is not a secret that it was not a successful program and each past governor has tried to make it more rel event and, as a result, the program is getting better. This is the most current attempt help areas get the information they need to be effective. Since I designed this latest incarnation, it is likely to only receive a minor tweaking next year for my training, but I am sure our DGN will keep a close eye and make any changes he sees as being helpful. Anyway, from the program I created a presentation and, as in the morning session, delivered to to each of three groups.
All in all I think it was a very successful day and, again, the incoming governor is to be commended on coming up with the idea of a training team for continuity from year to year. The one thing we did decide was three presenters giving six, forty minute presentations is probably too much - and definitely too much standing. While you learn each time you make a presentation, and probably get a little better each time, you also start to wear physically and that can pull some enthusiasm from the presentations. Next year we will use multiple presenters. But I thought the format was excellent. The small groups really was powerful as opposed to a large gathering. Thank you Rotary Leadership Institute.
Pre PETS was made up of all the President Elects and the incoming Assistant Governors. Area Leadership Training included this same group, plus the other two upcoming classes of Assistant Governors.
Pre PETS is training that the President Elects will not receive at PETS and three subjects were covered. Preparing for PETS, How to Run a Successful Club and Meeting and The Club Leadership Plan. There was a general session at the beginning where the incoming Governor introduced her team, went over her experience at the international assembly and introduced the club leadership to the R.I. President's theme for the upcoming year. As a part of the training team I was responsible for creating and delivering the Successful Club/Meeting presentation. We set up three rooms in RLI format and broke the attendees into three smaller groups. The the three presenters moved from room to room, delivering the same presentation to each group.
The afternoon was set aside for Area Leadership Training. This is a new title replacing what used to be called District Leadership Training. In the past, each District Chair got a couple minutes to mention their program and it was decided to eliminate that. It was determined that time did not permit an adequate presentation, so why bother. Instead, we will get that information out in another format. The purpose of the Area Leadership Training was exactly what is sounds like, to get each area working as a team. Again there was a short general session followed by three topics. Goal Setting, Communication and The Area Tri-Leadership Plan. I was responsible for the tri-leadership program which received a major face lift this year. It is not a secret that it was not a successful program and each past governor has tried to make it more rel event and, as a result, the program is getting better. This is the most current attempt help areas get the information they need to be effective. Since I designed this latest incarnation, it is likely to only receive a minor tweaking next year for my training, but I am sure our DGN will keep a close eye and make any changes he sees as being helpful. Anyway, from the program I created a presentation and, as in the morning session, delivered to to each of three groups.
All in all I think it was a very successful day and, again, the incoming governor is to be commended on coming up with the idea of a training team for continuity from year to year. The one thing we did decide was three presenters giving six, forty minute presentations is probably too much - and definitely too much standing. While you learn each time you make a presentation, and probably get a little better each time, you also start to wear physically and that can pull some enthusiasm from the presentations. Next year we will use multiple presenters. But I thought the format was excellent. The small groups really was powerful as opposed to a large gathering. Thank you Rotary Leadership Institute.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
