The National Weather Service sounded a Severe Thunderstorm Warning just before 5pm. Skies darkened, but moods were light, as a group of varied and very interesting folks assembled at Judy Zone's house on Thursday, Aug. 4, 2011 to talk about this organization called 'Rotary.'
There was an investment advisor, several physicians, a hairdresser, a business broker, a horse enthusiast, a real estate agent, an auditor, an architect, two college professors, a legislator, a non-profit executive director, some retired folks, a couple of twenty-somethings, some other business types, and a person who had to leave early for a tennis match. Half women, half men. A nice mix of nice folks. And there are nine people who couldn't make this meeting, but will be there next time: Thursday, Aug. 25 5:15pm Location TBA.
After beverages ranging from wine, beer, lemonade, and water and some snacks, Judy started the meeting, saying we should begin as we intend to proceed: As a social & business networking club, each person briefly introduced himself or herself. It's interesting to get to know new people, and there was a lot of laughter as we all recalled the 'two degrees of separation' in this 'small town', small state.
2011-12 Utah Rotary Governor Rick Cambra said a few words about Rotary membership and service, the 1.2 million members worldwide, the 40+ clubs in Utah, and talked about the Public Relations campaign Utah Rotary hopes to receive a grant for in 2012. Billboards, online Tribune ads, psas can raise awareness of the significant local & international service done by Utah Rotarians.
Question/Answer time followed:
-- Rotary International provides a statewide and worldwide network of professional people with high ethical standards, and membership in Rotary provides access to clubs for grants to do local and international service.
--So what kind of service will the Rotary Club of Millcreek do? In a member-driven club, members decide what kind of service gets done. Those discussions await.
--Service doesn't usually cost much, and if members decide to do service that comes with a price tag, they will have to agree to a 'buy-in' that involves both sweat equity and cash.
--Though the Rotary motto is 'Service Above Self', the Rotary Club of Millcreek wants to remember that business networking and fellowship are as important now as they were when Paul Harris (Rotary's founder) decided in 1905 to have regular lunches with business associates.
--This is Utah's only 'happy hour' club. Structurally, our weekly meetings (for which there is no attendance requirement) may take this monthly format: two monthly business meetings (with 15 minute discussions of Rotary business), one dinner social, and a service project or service planning meeting.
--The Rotary Club of Millcreek will need to have a regular meeting time (Thursdays at 5:15pm) and a regular meeting place (a restaurant that won't charge us for the room and will let us buy beverages and appetizers) before it can be a 'provisional' club with Rotary International.
-- 25 folks have got to agree to pay minimal dues & Rotary fees monthly ($16.80) before the club can be 'official'.
--And we will be wearing name tags till we all know each other's names.
With a great group of people like this, it will probably not be long before the Rotary Club of Millcreek is 'official'. At our next meeting on Thursday, Aug. 25, we will discuss required club leadership positions and committees, and start to figure out how members can present proposals for service opportunities.
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