Photos by Bonnie Coley-Malir

Following the standard meeting opening Dave Holliday, President of the Dublin A.M. Foundation was recognized to request additional Paul Harris Fellows to complete a 4X4 begun by Mike Isler and Roberta Kayne. Susan Robenalt and Tricia Arndt volunteered.

Cindy Groeniger offered to form a new PH 4X4 in recognition of recent deceased club member Paul Buchanan and was joined by Betty and McGehee Isaacs and Debbie Lutz.

Following announcements concerning the need for Greeters, Salvation Army workers, and volunteers and sign-ups for the Irish Festival – Assistant District Governor Steve Heiser introduced the main speaker from the Upper Arlington Rotary Club and this year’s District Governor Steve Sandbo.

Sandbo’s presentation centered on the decision by Rotary International to give greater flexibility to local clubs to achieve more relevancy in today’s environment, particularly with Millennials whom he mentioned several times. 

He quoted Rotary International President John Germ as having told a gathering of District Governors to “Throw out the rule book and be free to do what is best for their Clubs.” In the absence of such a move Rotary’s survival could be in question without operational change . Sandbo also cited Michael McQueen observing – Survival for clubs like rotary is not based on how large you are, but how you adapt to changing times.

As two examples – RI is telling local clubs they have the choice of meeting only twice a month if they so desire and attendance requirements are, in Sandbo’s word “gone”. 

He listed three goals to grow Rotary this year;

  1. 1. Grow membership
  2. 2. Promote gender diversity (which he defined as recruiting more women. Some clubs have no women members at present.)
  3. 3. Give a little extra to the Rotary Foundation in recognition of the Foundation’s 100th anniversary.

On the subject of the RI Foundation, Sandbo urged members to attend the 100th anniversary of the Foundation at Atlanta in August.

Sandbo also asked each Rotarian to do three things this year;

  1. 1. Ask a new person to come into the club – not by coming to a meeting, but as a volunteers for a Rotary project – which, he said, is the type of activity what speaks to Millennials.
  2. 2. Support the Rotary International Foundation, which he described as the glue which holds Rotary worldwide together – the common ground for all clubs. 
  3. 3. Do one thing that makes your club more relevant – support change.

Sandbo also took time to ask continued support for Polio Plus – a program which began to 1984-85 to eradicate Polio. 2.7 Billion Children have been vaccinated. Know cases have been reduced to 19 this year – but there is more to be done. 

He described his role as DG to share with the clubs in District 6690 – “What works.”

After the quote for the day, President Ramona Penland adjourned the meeting.