On Sunday, President Aileen and Secretary Telsa attended the RCG (Rotary Community Group) meeting, along with other Presidents and Admin. Officers from the Geelong, Bellarine and Surfcoast area.
There was lively discussion around Regionalisation and the growth of Rotary, capably lead by the ever-vivacious and enthusiastic Tonie Thiel, DGNominee, District Learning and Development Officer, Assistant Area Governor/Border and President RC Casterton.
Tonie explained the Rotary Action Plan for change: to increase our impact and expand our reach (externally oriented) and to enhance participant engagement and increase our ability to adapt (internally oriented).
The energy emanating from discussion within the table groups of like-minded Rotarians was amazing, and the next meeting is to be on Saturday 12th October. Our group has not yet found a leader, but by common vote the temporary name of our area will be Barwon. Other groups in our Pacific Area are Border, South West, Goldfields, and Wimmera. The role of Leader would include facilitating team work between clubs, supporting club leaders to engage members in RGC activities, and helping clubs access existing and new support and resources. There is a new Closed FB page to make it easy to contact those from meetings. Rotarians of Geelong and Surrounds, which you can ask to join, and can share into but not out of.
Our Growth Plan: What can we do together? Show ourselves and attract people to want to join Rotary. What are the barriers: time, money, culture? Rather than the old-fashioned title of supper club, can we be wine and cheese, after dark, sunset club??? Last year’s DG suggested a change when she visited us! As P. Tonie said:
“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always had.”
We looked at ‘types of personalities’: earth, fire, air, water, and realised we need all those types within a club, because we all enhance one another and keep the club well balanced.
Who can we engage from the community? Include our members families, sponsors, corporate members, past members and friends, local scouts and guides, sports groups, students wanting ‘community hours’ and VPC (Vic.Pathways Cert.) or the old VCAL course in schools. Ask those wanting funding, what they can do for us.
Other attendees at the meeting included DG Lesley Shedden, Roseanne Kava D Membership Development, Pauline Stewart D.Public Image & Communications, Don Shields D.Insurance Officer and the wonderful PP Wally Walsh, Tonie’s uber driver and bag carrier! Don laid on a delicious BBQ lunch and we thanked him for providing the great workplace space for our meeting.
