Membership Garth Arnold New Membership Growth in District 1160


Thank you to those of you who have sent me emails advising of new members joining, please update the District database with your new member details. Since the last edition of COGS we have had a further 20 enquiries, and a constant flow of enquiries through the RIBI website. We are in regular contact with these new leads, a number of whom have already visited clubs.


A further round of email marketing is scheduled, so please keep up the excellent work. We still need all the new Rotarians we can get.


It is important we do forget our existing members and especially any new Rotarians that have just joined. Everybody needs to feel welcome and have a purpose in the club, make sure everybody is involved, and please take the time to speak to Rotarianʼs who you have not seen for a few weeks.


Clubs making changes to attract younger members When Rotarians in Walnut Creek, California, USA, found it difficult to attract young professionals to the area's morning and afternoon clubs, they set out to establish a new club that would accommodate busy, on‑the‑go schedules. The Rotary Club of Diablo View (Walnut Creek), chartered in 2009, meets in a local brewery at 5:30 p.m. every Thursday. Club president Jennifer Beeman says the club sets aside time each week for socializing before turning to club business, and that the relaxed atmosphere appeals to younger members.


Beeman was only 24 years old when she became a charter member of the club, and she's now one of the youngest female club presidents in Rotary. The club has 26 members, 90 percent of them between the ages of 25 and 40. "Because we have younger members, our attitude is different. People have told us how refreshing it is to have young faces behind Rotary," Beeman says.


She says the club carries out many projects in the community so that members have an opportunity to do hands‑on service. Every month, for instance, it plans an outdoor project, such as cleaning up nature trails. Younger Rotarians usually have more time than cash at their disposal, she says, so they tend to contribute by volunteering. Photo shows members of the Diablo View Rotary Club donating their time by cleaning up the Iron Horse Trail in California.


The club recruits new members through social media like Twitter and Facebook, and it has a mentoring program to help with retention. All new members are assigned a mentor, who spends extra time with them outside regular meetings. "The modifications we've made have helped our club appeal to younger professionals and retain them," Beeman says. "Theyʼve created a high‑energy club.”


New Club in Ballycastle


At the inaugural club meeting on 7th June 2011 District Governor Wes Armstrong welcomed the club members to the “Family of Rotary” and wished everyone success for the future. The Rotary Club of Ballycastle meets every Tuesday at 7:00 pm in the Central Wine Bar, Ann St. Ballycastle.


Is it time to face a challenge? I have said many times just how proud that I am to be a Rotarian. There are times,


though, when something happens to make me wonder whether we could do better. My pride in our collective achievements and the difference we Rotarians make in different ways to people who need our help is unshakeable but, sometimes, I wonder whether we are all putting Rotary values into our actions with sufficient consistency. The RI strategic plan sets out clear values – Service, Fellowship, Diversity, Integrity & Leadership. It also has as its key objectives – to support and strengthen clubs, increase humanitarian service, and enhance public image and awareness.


Our ability to strengthen clubs requires us to be better at recruiting and retaining members. That, in turn, requires us to demonstrate ALL the values that we espouse. Most Rotarians sign up to the motto “Service above self” so we can tick that box. Most would say that they enjoy fellowship. Do we really do all that we should to improve our diversity? Ask yourself whether you are helping this process in your own club. To enjoy true fellowship requires tolerance and flexibility too.


Number One District


District 1160 is a great team and this year I believe we have shown what we can do regarding bringing in new members and forming a new club. When the rallying call went out, you all stepped up to the mark.


Please keep up the great work and I look forward to an even more successful new Rotary year.


I will leave you with the words from a well‑known Irish orator, philosopher, and politician Edmund Burke when he said “no one could make a greater mistake that he who did nothing because he could only do a little”.


The Rotary Club of Ballycastle meets every Tuesday at 7:00 pm in the Central Wine Bar, Ann St. Ballycastle. 7


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