Rotary District 6690 Governor visits Byesville Rotary

Pictured: Oziel Jeffries, Byesville Rotary President, and Michael Brown, Rotary District 6690 Governor.

Michael Brown, newly inducted Rotary 6690 District Governor, spoke to Byesville Rotary about Rotary District and International Goals for 2012-13. This year’s theme is “Peace though Service.” Brown stated that he is “…confident that this theme will provide a foundation for all [club members] to face the opportunities and challenges in 2012-13….”

In the coming year Rotary will focus on 3 challenges. As District Governor, Brown would like District 6690 Rotarians to focus the energies of their clubs on three priorities: 1) support and strengthen clubs through engaged membership; 2) focus and increase humanitarian service through support of the Rotary Foundation; and 3) enhance Rotary and each local Rotary club’s public image and increase community awareness of what Rotary does.

Brown said that Rotary is asking that each club identify and define the features and advantages that make the club unique. Each club should develop a consistent message about the club. This message should be clear and concise so that it can be easily shared with potential new members.

Rotary would like to get more people involved in their service projects. Clubs are being asked to rethink membership requirements. Brown explained that one way to recruit and retain members is to think of members as customers. Rotary suggests that clubs adopt a cardinal rule of business which is to keep customers happy. Club members should be treated like customers, and clubs need to identify what their “customers” want from the club.

Using this perspective, clubs are surveying their members in order to discover what their members want from their Rotary club. Survey results are influencing clubs to change their thinking about membership requirements and responsibilities. Brown reported that many clubs are changing emphasis from attending club meetings to emphasis on becoming engaged in service projects.

The club meets 7:30 am every Tuesday at the Stop Nine Senior Center at 60313 (GPS use 60299) Southgate Road, Byesville. Anyone interested in learning more about the Byesville Rotary can call Membership Chairs Marty Patchen, 740-685-3828, or Evelyn Spring, 740-439-4343.