District Governor’s Message
By: DG Bob MacKenzie, Kennebunk RC
As anticipated, August is here. I say that because July is in the rear-view much too quickly. When I became club President, the year was gone before I could blink. Just when I started to feel comfortable in the role, it was gone, and I felt a sense of sadness it was over so soon. I wondered if there might be a parallel in the District Governor role, and I think I might have found my answer if the following months are like July was. It’s a reminder to take a step back and take a deep breath. Enjoy each day, each hour, each minute, each and every second, and enjoy the ride along the way! Speaking of August…. August is membership month! Here is what we are doing about it.
One of RI President Stephanie Urchick’s goals is to increase membership, which has been a goal of other RI Presidents. We hear it but it doesn’t seem like we’ve had too much luck in increasing membership over the past several years. We gain members but we seem to lose more members than we have coming in. This is not sustainable and we all must take an active role in changing that if we want to be successful.
Our District is taking a concerted effort to bring awareness to Rotary and what we are doing in our clubs within the communities we serve. Our District Leadership team and our District Chairs to include Public Image, Public Relations and Membership are soliciting input from Rotarians. Keep an eye out in your emails and/or the District calendar for the Public Image/Public Relations Committee meetings as all are welcome. With our collective minds we can bring awareness to Rotary, who we are as Rotarians, and make our organization one that people want to be part of!
Once again, it is a tremendous honor to serve you as District Governor! I have started my club visits and will be visiting a club near you in the coming weeks and months. This is the part of the job I was most looking forward to. Connecting with old friends and making new friends, learning more of what you are doing in your clubs and communities and hearing the impact that you all have.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead