Our District held its very first monthly "Open Doors with Diana, Your District Leaders and Friends" on August 12 via Zoom. Club presidents and officers, district leaders and all Rotarians were invited to talk about current issues, brainstorm ideas, and share best practices.
"It was a big success," says District Governor Diana Nestorova (shown right). "There was something for everyone: membership tips, online service projects, online fundraising opportunities, District and Global Grants, and PolioPlus in
itiatives."
itiatives."Shown below are the Rotarians who also presented during the "Open Doors" virtual session. The presenters, clockwise from top left, and their subjects are:
- Klaus Hachfeld, president of the Rotary Club of Sturbridge, on a service opportunity for our members. Children who have lost a parent, sibling or grandparent can be traumatized for many years despite loving attention from relatives, teachers and friends. Comfort Zone Camp organizes person-to-person and virtual camps free to the children, where professional counselors provide life-changing improvements for the kids and guidance for their parents. Rotarians can get directly involved as program volunteers at a camp, and for clubs to consider supporting CZC in a similar way to Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA).
- Peggy Thorsen, RC Marlborough RC, on attracting new members. We should use what works in our businesses as part of coordinated plan of sales and marketing. Find the prospective member's "hot button" and engage them right away in your club's projects.
- John Marchiony, president of RC Weston and Wayland, on addressing challenges with membership growth. He has invited Don Wilson, renowned sales educator, featured TedX speaker and author of What’s YOUR Woobie? – Simple Strategies on Your Uncomfortable Path to New Opportunities, to talk about Building Membership through Passion and Asking. John encouraged us to attend a Zoom session on September 16 at 7:00 p.m. The one-hour interactive session with Don Wilson that could change your club’s membership trajectory.
- Joyce Graff, RC Brookline, on creating a District PolioPlus Committee and looking for three more committee members. The Committee is preparing an informational program to relay the importance of funding the PolioPlus program to eradicate polio. The program will also to give the world the tools, procedures, and local connections needed to combat outbreaks of other diseases.Today, that engine is being used to halt effectively the spread of COVID-19 in the countries where PolioPlus has teams.
- Anne Hentz, RC Acton-Boxborough, on fundraising in the times of COVID-19. She talked about online programs and online auctions.
- Bill Paulson, RC Needham, on creating a District Special Equity Task Force and looking for members. We must reflect the diversity in our communities by addressing inclusion and equity of our clubs. This will be a similar group to the Rotary Action Group for Peace.
- Christine Pinney, District RYLA chair, RC Bedford, on what's up with RYLA. The 36 group facilitators (high school seniors) work on a program to invite this year's RYLAns to connect as part of a regional group with eight other high school juniors. Meeting online at first, via an app such as Zoom or Google Hangouts, they’ll do some fun ice breakers/get-to-know-you activities, and talk about stress relievers during COVID-19 times
- Phil Goff, president of RC Ayer, on his club's online fundraiser. He talked about The Ducky Wucky River Race, a world-famous annual Rotary charity fundraiser. Four other clubs joined Ayer for the race. Learn more at at DuckyWucky.org.
- Robert Bussey, president of RC Southborough, on the Project Spirit! service opportunity for our members. Do you have a spare hour or two a day, a week or a month where you can help your town or city clerk's office keep pace with challenging requirements of conducting regular business while answering residents' inquiries about the COVID-19 pandemic and running both a Primary Election and a General Election? Reach out to your town or city clerk and help alleviate some of their work burdens due to the extended voting options for the Primary and General elections.Some examples are stuffing envelopes and counting ballots. Your local clerks will know best how they need assistance. This may take place at your town or city hall, your own home, a school gym, or other agreed-upon venues.
- Laura Spear, Zone 32 public image coordinator and District PI chair, RC Nashoba Valley, on providing a consistent image of what Rotary stands for. She talked about using Rotary branding for raising awareness and visual identity.
- Victor Tom, district governor nominee-designtate and District Grant Subcommittee chair, and RC Bedford, on a District Grant proposals update. He talked about changes to the District Grant program.
- Tony Lopez, president of Groton- Pepperell, on online fundraising. He talked about his club's Esports tournament, an online fundraiser that engages youth and exposes them to Rotary.
- (not shown) Karin Gaffney, past district PDG, Zone 32 membership coordinator and District Service chair, RC Nashoba Valley, on a membership update from Zone 32. She talked about how service brings more people to Rotary and increases engagement, and about some of the projects that our clubs have done during the COVID-19 pandemic.
