Abraham Lincoln is purported to have said: "You may fool all the people some of the time, you can even fool some of the people all of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all the time."

To paraphrase this great man it is a fact that I believe I can please all of the people some of the time, that I can please some of the people all of the time but, but I cannot please all of the people all of the time. 

A few weeks ago I sent you all a Club Satisfaction survey.  The fact that only 38 people responded tells me we have a pretty contented bunch of Rotarians.  Of those who did take the time to respond, it quickly became clear that I am not going to be able to please all of the people all of the time.  To those people, I say tough luck, 'cos you have got me for a whole year - but the good news is that is only 39 more meetings!

Some key points:

• Some people want more follow-ship time.   I would like you to take note of the fact that Rotary starts at 12:00 noon, not 12:30; fellowship time is for the half hour prior to the meal, then ½ hour for me to spend as I choose, followed by the program. 
• Some people want more Rotary Information.   Some want less.
• Some people want fewer announcements, and suggest we use email and the Hub.  The main problem here is that many members don't read either.
• People are happy with the location but some don't like the cost.  We are one of the most expensive clubs in the area but the service and facilities are superb and the rate the Doubletree charges is one of the lowest they charge anybody. 

The bad news is we are being squeezed two ways - one is membership is down with eleven members on a LOA.  Our meal charge from the hotel has gone up by $2 per head.  Between the two, our revenues are down by $19,800 this year. 

Keeping membership up is important to the survival of our club and the regulation of the amount of dues required.  Merrill Hoffman is our very able and willing membership chair but you are all on his committee.  It is up to you to introduce quality people to the club - remember the first meal is free.

So I told you the bad news - here's the good news:  We are not putting up the dues this year.

So like it or not, I have become the President of YOUR Rotary Club.   I hope I can do as good a job as those of you who have served your terms as President before me, and especially Past President Laurie in whose steps I follow.  I'm going to have a good time as President of this club and I hope you do, too.  And the good news here is I only have 39 meetings after this one to conduct before you are rid of me.

For those of you who attended the Step Down on the 26^th, I would like to assure you this will NOT be a hugging presidency (Pictures of Presidential Hugs were shown).

As most of you know already, I just returned from the Rotary International Convention in Birmingham, England.  I'll talk more of the convention in a few minutes, but first I have to say I was astounded at the reputation our club has in the International community, and how word had spread of Past President Laurie Yttri's reign.  Everywhere I went, people would ask after her.  I have a hard act to follow.  For those of you who attended the Step Down, you would have seen this already, so I hope you'll bear with me.  (Video Clips).

Thank you again for a great year Laurie, and before you, Past President Marlene, who brought some fun back into the Club.  For our more recent members who weren't here two years ago, Marlene introduced the "Fool for a Day", when a club member performed some trick or skit and forced us to pay money to either applaud them or stop them!

Well I have some good news for you - the Fool for a Day is coming back..and I'll be here most meetings.

I say most meetings, because of necessity, I will be missing some.  I won't miss as many meetings as one or two of our previous golf playing Presidents did - because I don't play the game, but I do run a business and I have several industry and company meetings that I am obliged to attend.  So I give you fair warning and ask your forgiveness for my occasional absence.

International Convention

As I mentioned a few minutes ago, I have just returned from the International Rotary Convention which I attended with my wife, Mary.  It is held in a different location each year.  Laurie was lucky to attend in Los Angeles last year, and we were given Birmingham.

Mary and I went there not quite knowing what to expect but had a great time meeting Rotarians from all over the world.  I couldn't get over just how many nationalities were there, and how many people have traveled there year after year (especially from some of the poorer nations).  I asked a few of them had they been before and they said they had been saving for the convention all year - and did this every year. 

There was a huge exhibition hall with booths from vendors and other clubs some showing projects (and hoping to enlist other clubs) and others selling fundraising equipment such as the money "drain", or Rotary decals., Rotary scotch 

But what it really did for both of us was to cement the idea of Rotary being such a fundamentally good organization, and it made me proud to be part of this great group of people. 

We arrived at the conference on Saturday afternoon and were there for the opening Plenary session on Sunday morning - the days were broken up into mornings - general session and afternoons a choice of break-out sessions.  The morning sessions were great and had many very good speakers.

Birmingham opened their city to us, and the entire West Midlands bus and train infrastructure was available to Rotarians at no cost, as far as I know the first time that has ever happened.  Mary & I stayed in Stratford Upon Avon about 40 minutes away from the NEC, but shuttle buses ran every 15 minutes so that turned out to be the most efficient form of transport.

On the Sunday evening, we all convened at WarwickCastle, the building of which began in 1068 and is one of the finest mediaeval castles anywhere.