Due to a scheduling conflict, the District Governor, Gene Holiman, was not able to attend our club meeting. He will be speaking at our club on Wednesday, November 1. In place of the Governor speaking, Club President Ben Carssow called a club assembly in which he and Assistant Governor, Frank Ivy, addressed strengths and weaknesses of the club. Ben began by reading a message from Rotary International President, John Germ, from his Presidential Citation brochure. Then, Frank pointed out the three major areas that all Rotary Clubs need to focus on and the need that the NXNE Austin Club currently has:
1) Membership Chair; 2) Service Chair; and 3) Programs/Speakers
Frank went on to talk about how these positions are currently vacant, and how Ernie and Shirley Dean have played a vital role in membership and service for most of the 2000s. In fact, Ernie became Service Chair when Frank was first President from 1999-2000 and held that role for five or six years until Shirley took over. The only time that one of the Deans was not involved in service was when Ernie was Club President and when Shirley was Club President and Secretary. Frank stated that it time for someone else to step up an grab the torch for the club. Frank also put in a plea for Programs Chair and complimented past member Dayle Baldauf for his outstanding years of service in this role.
Ben then stated that he want each board member to be involved on a committee and to get at least one other club member to join them on the committee. He then read a list of questions that the District Governor had sent out to get feedback from the club. Ben then opened up the floor and asked for input on the strengths of the club which included the following:
1) Library books donated to Ridgetop Elementary School Library on behalf of each week’s speaker for the past 10+ years; 2) Prescription Music Project; 3) Boys Scout Troop 8 (the Great Troop 8) – five Eagle Scouts achieved, Food packaging project to involve our Rotary Club in August or September; 4) Pie/Pastries for Peace - $1,000+ plus donated to a refugee family for the past 4 years; 5) Meals on Wheels; 6) Brookdale Senior Living Center.
Ben set the time and place for all board meetings on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at Casa Chapala at 6:30. The next board meeting is Tuesday, July 25 at 6:30.