All-Aboard for our Centennial Year!

Let’s welcome our 100^th year with enthusiasm!

 

Gretchen Rubin, a New York Times bestselling author and happiness expert who explores human nature and habits has a famous quote:

The days are long, but the years are short

 

When I look back on my Rotary journey to this point of being the club president, I can say that is very true.  I am not sure how the years flew by as quickly as they did from my agreement to be the Club President for our 100^th year….around 2018!  But here we are.  I’ve observed from many other presidents that this year will also go very quickly – I’ve been told, It will be over before I know” – so start preparing Frank!!

 

I’ve had much support in planning this year.  A big thanks to the Centennial Committee – if they could stand please:  Kate Hoath, Leon Moyer, Karla Myers, Janet Pesini, Frank Tranzilli, Dave Washam and Dan Yocum. This group of enthusiastic members had a LOT of great ideas through 2026.  I hope you have your calendars in a place that will remind you about the upcoming events.

 

As a Rotary President, you are asked to officially submit goals to Rotary International.  I am only sharing a few of those goals this evening.  I have placed a goal of having 10 (different) members participate in club service activities during the Rotary year.  Rotary International is not asking for official paperwork to be submitted – but they are relying on my commitment to the four-way test to answer the data honestly.   Some of the goals are more data driven for RI to see our success – for example, a donation to Polio Plus.

 

PolioPlus is Rotary International's signature program focused on eradicating polio, but it also includes additional support for communities beyond just polio vaccination. The "plus" refers to the various other health and community development initiatives that are provided alongside polio vaccination efforts, such as providing access to clean water, improving sanitation, and offering medical treatment.

 

Over our 100^th Year, we are going to bring back the weekly sale of a raffle ticket – but with a twist.  Tickets will be sold at meetings – starting tonight.  $10 a ticket.  Winning tickets will be drawn quarterly.  The funds raised by the purchase of the tickets will go directly to a Project that is with Rotary or to support a project in our community we have historically supported.  What will you win if your ticket is selected?  A limited edition Charcuterie Board!

 

Our first quarter project will be for Polio Plus – the Rotary Initiative I mentioned earlier.  We will pull the winning ticket at a special “Pints for Polio” event cohosted by the Indian Valley chamber on October 23 from 4 – 6PM at the Branch Creek Taphouse.  Our goal is to raise $1,500 – about 150 tickets.  Yes!  You can purchase more than one ticket!!!

 

Mid-June, a very important email invitation was sent to you for our upcoming Rotary Park Celebration on September 13.  This once-in-a-lifetime event will begin with a VIP reception where we will thank Major contributors to the park – and all Rotary members are invited!  Please RSVP (CLICK HERE) – if you did not receive an invite, please let me know.  We will need your help promoting the community portion that begins at 6PM – note the flyers on the tables. 

 

Our Auction this year on October 30 will combine the official 100^th anniversary celebration with our fundraising auction.  The Centennial committee’s thought is to have fewer items to auction off, but have a higher value on those items.  Now is the time to seek out persons/businesses who have sports tickets, special event tickets, etc.  We will also need people to attend the event and bid.  The theme “A Roaring Night of Giving” will lean into the 1920’s. Costumes for that time period will be highly encouraged!  

 

 

Another goal I have submitted is for four ST Rotary Members to attend the District Conference April 17 - 19.  The multi-district conference will be held in Gettysburg. The award-winning Lincoln Leadership Institute at Gettsyburg  will provide us with a different type of leadership training using the historic location of Gettsyburg as an example.  This promises to be a very different type of conference.  CLICK HERE to learn more about the type of program you could be a part of!  I plan on attending, and I hope you will consider joining me!

 

Also in April, we are going to hold a 4-Way Test Speech Contest for YOU to participate in.  Using the same rules and guidelines students use for our annual competition in March, the Centennial committee thought it would be a fun activity to encourage members of our club to give it a shot!  Let me know in January if you are interested in competing!

 

I introduced a while back the two birds – do you remember their names?  These birds are on our club banner.  Those of you newer to our club, may be unfamiliar with what a Rotary Club banner is.  As a Rotary Member, you have the opportunity to connect with a Rotary club in another location when you travel, here in North America as well as in other countries. I have done this in the United Kingdom, and more recently Jean Wieder has visited a club in Japan and Nicole Spiese in Italy.  Part of the visit is the exchanging of the banners.  When you return to our club you can share the banner from the club you visited.  It’s a great experience!

 

Our Birds, Souderton and Telford were created in the Pennsylvania Dutch style of the colorful good luck “hex signs” that were once painted on the sides of barns in our communities. The birds are supposed to be “twins” – like the “twin” communities of Souderton/Telford.  Now, we all know, Souderton and Telford are, actually very different communities.  And if you look really closely at the birds, they do not mirror each other.  That is indeed true not only of Souderton and Telford but of each of us – we are indeed different, and we have different thoughts and expectations of what we will get out of our engagement with Rotary.

I’ve had two very distinct messages said to me over the past few years:

Those two statements are definitely at odds with each other.

 

Today, during our Board Meeting, I challenged our Board to think about membership in our club.  How can we grow it?  Who should we recruit?

 

I reflect on the recent Change-Over meeting.  We had great attendance.  We had to have additional seating added to the tables.  Wow!  I loved how all those people made it a priority to attend and I thank you for that.

 

I think we can work at having it both ways – we can have a dinner meeting, but we can also be service focused. What I am asking is, if you are physically and financially able, to show up at both.  If you noticed in that statement, I said Physically and Financially able.  I understand there are barriers at times on service projects.  I also understand that a weekly $35 dinner for someone whose company is not covering the cost of dinner may be out of reach.

 

A solution over the next year I would like  to try regarding the cost has to do with a monthly Happy Hour at Branch Creek Taphouse.  Full disclosure – I do not like beer, but, the atmosphere at the taphouse is one I think everyone here will enjoy.  To be very clear, there will be no “official” meeting.  We will have signage up for our club, and if you are comfortable, I would encourage you to wear your nametag.  This would be a very low-key event to bring a potential member to.  I’ve also heard that all the Souderton/Telford “cool cats” hang out here, so let’s aim to make new friends!

 

Today, I am going to give each member a special commemorative pin, like the one I am wearing this evening.  I hope to see you wearing it out in our community over the next year.  In addition, this pin will be given to Rotary exchange students when they visit our club – if you recall they like pins on their jackets!  The pin has our two birds, along with the tagline #peopleofaction since 1925.  Being a member of our club makes you a “Person of action”.  Our club has a strong track record of making a difference in our community.

 

My closing thought to you is,