May 2008 RDU online (pdf) - Rotary Down Under

Canberra:
Summits and think tanks are the flavour
of the month right now. From the Federal
Government’s “2020 Summit” to our own
“Rotary 2020: The Next Generation” – the
focus is the same.
The challenge to pool our experiences, our
corporate knowledge and our vision to fast
forward to tomorrow’s potential Rotarians –
“The Next Generation”.
If not us – then who will plan to make
sure our Rotary builds on past and present
successes to create the momentum – “Going
Forward with a New Model for Rotary”.
RI President 2008-09, Dong Kurn Lee,
from South Korea, has handed us a one-off
opportunity at the start of the Rotary New
Year. DK puts it on the line: “The Conference
must be targeted, planned and communicated
to local Rotary Clubs and Rotarians” to join
with District officers in mapping out our
future. DG’s, DGE’s, DGN’s and Membership
Chairs have been invited. We have written to all
Clubs through DG’s, inviting sponsorship of
Club Membership Directors and members.
Is the PMC a Membership Training
seminar? NO! There will be pre- and postsessions
for trainers. The PMC is an ideas
Summit, supported by hard hitting insights
Auckland:
Past District Governor Andrew Meek has
called upon New Zealand Rotarians to help
shape the future of Rotary by contributing
to the Presidential Membership Conference
in Auckland on July 18 and 19.
Using the theme, Share the Vision, NZ
Rotarians will gather at the Waipuna Hotel
and Conference Centre to tackle issues
confronting them as they work towards
membership growth in the 21st century.
The conference will be hosted by the
Rotary International President Dong-Kurn
Lee which together with the Canberra
conference will be some of the first events
in his year in office.
Attendees will also hear from Past
Rotary International President Bill
Boyd, Conference Convenor and RI
Director 2008-09 John Lawrence and Ron
Beaubien, Chairman of the RI Membership
into “Australian Society: Where to now?”
“World and local Trends”; “Volunteering in
the 21st Century”; “Rotary’s Image; The Big
Branding Challenge”.
Will “The Next Generation” want to be
Rotarians? How do they perceive us – how
can we inspire their involvement? It won’t
just happen by osmosis – we either want
Rotary to prosper or accept the current
forecast that Service Clubs per se will
steadily decline!
I don’t want all my Rotary efforts to
become a mere dusty memorial. Do You?
Nor can we let down vulnerable people
who depend on Rotary for humanitarian
services, or put at risk our iconic GSE or
Scholarships educational programs! What
Development and Retention Committee.
The conference focus will be on four
expert keynote speakers on topics vital
to an understanding of issues affecting
Rotary’s future:
• The importance of vision – Al Morrison,
Chief Executive and Director General of
the Department of Conservation;
• Our changing demographics – Geoff
Bascand, Government Statistician and
Chief Executive, Statistics New Zealand;
• Volunteering: A changing landscape – Beth
Harman, CEO, Ronald McDonald House,
Auckland;
• Brand equity, public relations and
advertising – David Walden, CEO TBWA/
Whybin.
“All keynote addresses and collated notes
from the break out sessions will be printed
and made available after the conference
and those attending will take home plenty
Presidential Membership Conferences
Going forward with a new model for Rotary
Rotary the next generation
about sponsoring Club recipient Alumni to
the PMC – they are our future!
RIPE “DK” Lee is picking up RIP Wilf
Wilkinson’s baton in this Olympic year, but
with a major difference for Australia. “DK”
will sit down with us, hear us and talk with us
at this, the first truly Australian Conference
for all Rotarians. With him will be our own
RIDE John Lawrence, starting his two-year
Director’s term and PRID Ron Beaubien,
Chair RI Membership and Retention
Committee. Otherwise the keynote speakers
will be mainly notable non-Rotary Aussies.
I call on Clubs to sponsor your Membership
Director and Districts their Membership
Chair. They’ll get double value by also
joining in the pre- and post- membership
sessions, giving them tools to convert good
ideas into action!
Go to www.rotarydownunder.com.au
and click on “Presidential Membership
Conferences Canberra” for registrations,
where to stay, including “home stay with a
Rotarian” and local attractions. Check the
Program and Speakers.
Len Goodman
Rotary Club of Canberra City
Past Governor District 9710
lgoodman@ozemail.com.au ■
Conference chairman Meek in call for support
of ideas and strategies for attracting a new
generation of volunteers and communityminded
people to Rotary,” Conference
chairman PDG Meek said.
Planning is progressing on schedule with
details available at www.rotary.org.nz. and
clicking on the Presidential Membership
Conference button on the left of the page.
Email inquiries can be made at
sharethevision@xtra.co.nz, and PDG Meek
can be contacted in New Zealand on 03 471
0698 or 021 357 322.
“We have certainly been granted a golden
opportunity by RIPE Lee, particularly as it
will have been so soon into his year as RI
President,” PDG Meek said.
“It’s now up to us, not only to show our
support for President “DK” Lee, but to
show our determination to take Rotary to
a new generation and to ensure the future
of the organisation in this country.” ■
Rotary Down Under, May 2008–––19