May does not have a designated theme in the Rotary calendar.  We should therefore focus our attention to Club Service this month. 

Club service is vital to a club's existence and effectiveness.  If you have not performed club service recently, please consider helping in one of the committees or project/event teams.  Many of the tasks are not that time consuming, but are valuable to our clubs mission and programs.  Ask any of the club officers or committee chairs if there is something you can do to help.  The more people that help in the operations of our club, the less work it is on each individual. 

Participate in the club's programs.  You could talk about your vocation and some of the issues that are being faced in it.  There could be some vocational, business, legal or financial issues the would be of interest to the club.  Maybe there is a client and customer that you work with that would be willing to share their story.  If there is a topic about Rotary that we have not heard about for a while that you are knowledgeable about, give a talk on it to the club.  Give your subject or contact information to Laura Leonard, so it can be put on the speaker calendar.

Here are some of the events occurring at our cluster clubs.  Let's support each other when possible.

May 31, Jun 1,2 - Annual Rib Fest / Vintage Bike Show (Jun 1) - Bedford Club - If you would like to advertise your business at this event please contact Mike Guyer mguyer@msn.com .

Jul 20 - 8am-5pm - Backyard Games - Solon Club - details at http://www.solonbackyardgames.com

The Rotary Club of Bedford is hosting its Annual Ribfest, May 31-June 2, on the Bedford Square. 

The main event is a Vintage Motorcycle Show. 9 classes of motorcycles will be judged.  Prizes for the first 5 in each class Plus 5 additional prizes.  

Download the flyer to pass on to family and friends.  Come out to enjoy the savory ribs and check out the bikes in the show.

Volunteers are welcome.  Please contact Mike Guyer at MGuyer@msn.com or call 440-773-2835 for volunteering opportunities. 

He unveiled the RI theme during the opening plenary session of the 2013 International Assembly in San Diego, California, USA, the annual training event for incoming district governors.

Rotarians from around the world gather each year to exchange great ideas, connect with old and new friends, have fun, and advance the work of Rotary. The 2013 RI Convention will take place in Lisbon, Portugal, 23-26 June.

From the bustling House of Friendship to breakout sessions to preconvention meetings, the RI Convention is your way to connect with the family of Rotary.

Attracting New Members to Rotary

Attracting members to join Rotary is not an easy task. In fact, often times, we see that even though the majority of people are aware of Rotary, only a few know what Rotarians actually do. The prospective members we try and recruit are often our friends and family members. How then do we attract those outside of our personal radar?

 Read More

ClubRunner Newsletter, January 2012

This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought: Arch C. Klumph, Well-rounded Citizen.

This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about Living a Full and Well-rounded Life, as illustrated by the founder of our Foundation, Arch C. Klumph. From our archives:

Arch had a great love of music. At age 18 he began to study the flute, and three years later he received a chair in the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra. He played with the orchestra for 14 years and was a lifelong sponsor of it. "My heart is in music and my head is in business," he said. Arch balanced his love of music and theater with his professional business and dreamed huge dreams beyond Cleveland to the theater of the world, with spectacular success. One of those dreams was The Rotary Foundation. Your contribution to The Rotary Foundation keeps Arch Klumph’s dream alive and fulfills the dreams of many people around the world who need our help.

No Personal Privileges

Frequently, friends ask whether Rotarians receive special business benefits from their Rotary membership. Should Rotarians expect a special discount or some preferential service just because they are dealing with a fellow Rotarian?

The answer is clearly “no?’ The RI Manual of Procedure expressly states the Rotary position on this matter. The policy, originally approved by the RI Board of Directors in 1933, is that in business and professional relations “a Rotarian should not expect, and far less should a Rotarian ask for, more consideration or advantages from a fellow Rotarian than the latter would give to any other business or professional associate...Any use of the fellowship of Rotary as a means of gaining an advantage or profit is contrary to the spirit of Rotary.”

On the other hand, if new or increased business comes as the natural result of friendship created in Rotary, it is the same normal development that takes place outside of Rotary as well as inside, so it is not an infringement on the ethics of Rotary membership.  It is important to remember that the primary purpose of Rotary membership is to provide each member with a unique opportunity to serve others, and membership is not intended as a means for personal profit or special privileges.

- Cliff Dochterman, 1992-93 President Rotary International,
"The ABC's of Rotary" ©2003 Rotary International

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