Page 2 - 2020-06-Rotary-on-the-Move-Newsletter-Zone-8

‘REGIONAL MEMBERSHIP UPDATE’

Article by Barbara Mifsud, Regional Membership Officer, Membership Development, South
Pacific and Philippines Office, barbara.mifsud@rotary.org,

https://www.facebook.com/barbara.mifsud.1

Clubs and districts during COVID-19
Here are some highlights of how clubs and districts are putting RI’s fourth strategic pillar ‘the ability
to adapt’ into action:
• With over 50 members attending each week, the Rotary Club of Campbelltown in South Australia decided that
their on-line Zoom meeting was a great vehicle for engaging alumni by contacting one each week and asking
them to report on what has happened in their lives since then.
• Cancelling the district conference was probably one of the hardest decisions that DG Jane Owens in D9500
has had to make, however the committee recently launched a virtual conference. Watch the opening session
here with keynote speaker Senator Andrew McLachlan. The committee is busily recording and collating
speaker presentations which will be released incrementally.
• The Provisional Rotary Club of Sunshine Coast Passport has not let COVID-19 stop them in their efforts to
recruit enthusiastic members developing a new club. They’ve already held a number of on-line interest
meetings and you can register for their next one here.
• The Rotary Club of Kurrajong North Richmond conducted a ‘field’ induction of new member Melissa at a local
butcher while maintaining social distancing! Watch the surprising video here.
• Adelaide University Rotaract Club is running a successful series of on-line cooking classes, featuring different
cuisines from around the world. The club has also held an on-line games night, a seminar on managing stress
and anxiety during COVID-19, joined in on a pancake breakfast with other Rotaractors around the world, had
interesting speakers at their meetings including The Purple House and are organising an online resume writing
session.

• District Membership Chairs Mary Brell and Judy Ford, from D9700 and D9710 - soon to become D9705 -
attended a zone level membership meeting and decided to join forces and replicate the format for their club
membership chairs and any other interested members. It was a wonderful opportunity for clubs from each
district to come together and swap stories about staying engaging and supporting their communities.
NEW! Leadership Development courses in Rotary’s Learning Center
As Rotary clubs explore ways to offer unique and interesting development opportunities to their members, Rotary is
happy to share new online courses on enhancing presentation skills. A product of Rotary’s alliance with Toastmasters
International, these first two courses in our new leadership and communication series are now available in the
Learning Center:
• Develop a speech — Learn how to organize a speech that leaves a lasting impression on your audience.
• Deliver a speech — Explore and practice the effect your voice and body language can have when giving a
speech.
These courses include assignments to help you put your new skills into practice and peer evaluations to help you
grow through collaboration. Watch this video to learn more and share with district and club leaders to use during a
club meeting or for personal and professional development.
NEW! Starting a New Rotary Club 101 video
Why start a new Rotary club? What do you need to get started? Who can you reach out to for help and support? If
you’re looking for answers to these questions and additional guidance on starting a new Rotary club, check out
Starting a New Rotary Club 101 . This 15-minute video, voiced by District 5020 Membership Chair Corey Lapardi and
Regional Membership Officer Julie Aubry, outlines the 9 step process of establishing a new club, from the initial idea
to the charter celebration and beyond.
Membership Resource Guide
Your regional Membership Resource Guide has been updated in English and French, with helpful new resources and
publications noted in red. If you have any questions about the materials listed, please let me know.
Membership Leads report
Despite the pandemic, or perhaps as a result, prospective members are still expressing interest in joining Rotary
clubs through rotary.org/join. Remember that it’s still important to follow up these potential members. See how your
district is doing in this report: Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands as at 30 April 2020
Membership statistics as at 30 April 2020
Comparison to 1 July
Worldwide Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands
Demographics
Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands

Rotary on the Move June 2020 Page 2