LOOKING AHEAD TO A FANTASTIC 2018!

Submitted by: Gloria Mink, Executive Secretary 

 

2017 was a busy year for my family and I as I transitioned into the new role of your District Executive Secretary - busy and exciting!  I have enjoyed meeting everyone on the District Leadership Team and look forward to a fantastic 2018!    

 

District 5580 Conference will be held APRIL 26 - 28, 2018 at VALHALLA INN, THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO.  Registration will be available on our website, http://rotary5580.org/, in mid-January.  In the mean-time you can learn more about our speakers, who were featured in the December issue of Cross Currents, by following this link, http://rotary5580.org/Stories/2018-district-5580-conference-1.  We look forward to welcoming them!  

 

In Ian Risely’s January Message he states, “To ensure a strong and capable Rotary leadership tomorrow, we need to bring in young and capable members today.”  This message inspired me to use this time to share a few words of encouragement with you today regarding Club Websites.   

 

When I became interested in joining Rotary, the VERY FIRST place I went to find information about our local club was their website.  Their website provided important information about their projects and areas of focus.  This peaked my interest in Rotary even more and the meeting time and location was prominently displayed on the main page.  I was interested and I knew where to go, all because they had an up-to-date informational website!!      

 

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”  This often seems like the best philosophy when we have limited resources and time. But when it comes to the constantly evolving facets of web design, “good enough” just isn’t good enough.  The internet has become a key element for sharing what Rotary is doing in our communities and around the world!  We are in a fast-paced technology savvy world and Rotary cannot afford to sit still.  Having a website with missing information could be doing more harm than not having one at all.  Younger generations especially have little patience for slow or poorly maintained websites. It is considered a top pet peeve among millennials – future leaders and Rotarians. 

Rotary is an amazing global network!  Let’s use every resource we have at our fingertips to share how incredible Rotary is! 

Your website is a place for potential members, supporters, and community members to find:
-Your meeting time and location
-Your mission, projects, and programs
-Information about upcoming events and fundraising campaigns
-Ways to donate and recruit peer-to-peer fundraisers
-Link to your social media profiles to generates followers
 
I understand that it takes time to maintain a website.  Let me assure you, I was thrilled when I was asked to re-design and maintain our club’s website!  For me it was an opportunity to learn more about our projects, connect with committee members and directors, and most importantly to create a personal connection to Rotary.  Maybe you have a member in your club who would love to be more involved with Rotary and is just waiting for an opportunity to participate more!  Maybe you are a member looking for ways to connect to your club.  Your website is an excellent tool to stay connected!

 

We are working on improvements to our District Website as well!  If you have any questions or need assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.