Greetings Sunrisers,
One of the changes that Rotary International made this year was the relaxation of the rules regarding attendance at meetings. This is something that we all know needed to be addressed because of more members having to travel for a living, and others raising young families and not always being able to be at every meeting.
Our club attendance stands at 49% for the year. However, we have observed that it is the same people consistently at the meetings. My fear is that people no longer feel the urgency that comes with the mandatory attendance, so they casually miss a meeting here and there and before you know it, a month has gone by and not one meeting has been attended. It is so easy to do in this very fast paced world.
Our Thursday meetings are opportunities not only to hear guest speakers but to enjoy the fellowship and comradery that is our reason for being. Each meeting brings us together to share stories, laugh and get to know each other better. By doing so, we learn that although each of us have “stuff” going on in our lives, we are all committed Rotarians joining together to “have fun while doing good” in our community.
Missing a meeting means you don’t get to see the beautiful glow that Becky has during her pregnancy. You don’t find out why Rob is using a cane or how Steve D. tore the ligaments in his foot. You miss out laughing at Brian's corny jokes or hearing about Steve H.’s latest adventures overseas. You don’t get to learn about upcoming projects that you might be interested in participating in or hear an update on how little Everett is doing at Sick Kids hospital.
So many of us think of Rotary as family and to me, each Thursday is like family dinner. We come together to catch up and feel the bond that brings us together. It is a great feeling to be a part of this amazing Sunrisers family, and you get to renew that feeling every Thursday morning for a wonderful breakfast and fellowship. If you have missed some meetings I encourage you to come and renew your commitment to the family, to the club, to Rotary. We make a difference – every Thursday morning at 7:30.
Yours in Rotary,
Darlene