Rotary Meeting of August 15, 2013 “The Irish are Coming, or is it the Indians”, by Gary Wilson, Bulletin Editor.

The Meeting

Quiet Meeting and light attendance.  They must have heard that I was going to speak.  Len almost lost his Bell.  No breaking news of the gavel.  Slow news day. Not a lot of announcements, but some.   You will see them in future emails from President Len.  Dave struggled with the joke in our effort to keep them clean.  My turn is coming up in the future and I promise not to do that.  I will be admonished, but will carry on.

Membership Report on Process of Bringing in new members was presented by Melissa Albers and her abundant assistant, Gary Wilson.  The content of that presentation follows.

Membership Presentation

Aug. 15, 2013

I.  Membership in Rotary is by Invitation Only.  You can’t just walk in and say I want to be a member.  You must have a sponsor.  If someone does walk in, they should be assigned a sponsor at the meeting by the Membership Chairman (Melissa) or the President in her absence.

II. Recruiting:  We are all responsible for our future members.  The best way to “recruit” is by “acquaintanceship”    A Neighbor, A Colleague, a fellow committee member etc.  Someone you really are getting to know; someone with whom you would like to Share the “Gift or Rotary”.  Most members who have been in Rotary a couple of years or more, will say it is a life changing experience, all for the better.  It’s a precious gift and a privilege to be a member.  You are picking your friends for the rest of your life.  Treat this treasure wisely.  However, we are not exclusionary. 

III. Wear Your Pin -- not just to meetings, but every day and every where.   It will strike up conversation about What Is Rotary.  Then you can share, and they should be encourage to share back.

IV. When you are thinking of sponsoring someone think in terms for 3 Meetings.

            Meeting 1:  Tell them about the members (what their jobs are and any other information about them), the handshaking, the timeframes for meetings, how often we meet, etc. etc.  We pay for lunch, and tell them if they come again we will pay for their first 3 lunches, then whether they are a new member or not, they will have to pay for their own and any guests they may bring during this period. 

Have a brief visit after the meeting.  Talk about the difference between Service Clubs, Fraternal/Social Clubs, and Business Clubs.  Talk about “doing business” and business cards etc.  Rotary is a SERVICE Club (i.e. Service Above Self). 

Get their phone number and Email Address and learn more about what they do for a living and their community involvement thus far. 

Tell them that you will contact them during the following week and see if there is any interest.  If so, call them on Wednesday and see if they are coming and would they like you to pick them up. 

If they are coming make sure you are here first.   Tell them where to park.  Stamp their parking pass.

Note:  They can join us at various service projects even if they are not a member.

            Meeting 2:  Greet them at the Door. Be there first.   Tell them about all the programs we have to help, both locally, regionally, and Nationally and Internationally.  Tell them that the purpose of Rotary is Simple…to help others.  Will they get business from Rotary?  Perhaps, but it will take a while;  and if that is the main purpose for them to consider Rotary they will be disappointed and should be discouraged from joining.  We do business by Acquaintanceship and by Accident. 

Visit with them again after the meeting and see if they have any questions.  Before the next meeting call them and determine their level of interest and invite them again to a meeting.  Get their first and have them meet other members.

Meeting 3:  They should be pretty serious by now and arrange a meeting with Melissa and other club members to discuss the requirements of members, the 4 way test, the history, etc. etc.  The financial obligations should be explained in detail along with attendance requirements, the ability to do make ups and help at events and getting on committees.  If they say they want to join tell them what our membership procedures are and that their name will be brought up at the next board meeting and to the members at large.  Assuming there is no problems then you will have them fill out the membership form and proceed from there. 

Another separate meeting should be arranged with Melissa and Len and the sponsor and anyone else who seems appropriate.  There is more to this, but that’s the highlights.

The Program

Frank Glenn is an unassuming Irishman who is an Architect.  He is a humble man with a slight swagger which comes with success.  Frank has been a member of Rotary for 17 years.  Few know him very well because he doesn’t talk much about himself, but if you spend the time with him -- you will find him very forthright with the answers.  Not only is he a very successful Architect he is also a Past President of the California Yacht Club.  He is a Sailor.  He was the Commodore in 2009.  Not the Supreme Commodore, THE COMMODORE.  That’s a big deal. 

He owns Saga Architecture.  He is a Vegetarian, and his wife Susan is Vegan.  I don’t know if that is a big deal but it is better than being a Klingon and possibly as good as a Vulcan.  They are slim and fit.  They have two children.  They met at a U2 concert or their first date was a U2 Concert. 

Frank was here to do a Craft Talk, filling in for Joe who was going to be the program, but couldn’t.  Something must be seriously wrong for Joe to give up Center Stage, a podium, a fining opportunity, and who knows what else.  I hope you are OK Joe. 

Frank has been the Architect on a huge Indian Project for a long time and it all started with a Kitchen remodel here in El Segundo.  It is a huge business park for a computer company and he is back and forth to India a number of times during the year.  He is responsible for many big, big, things…but he couldn’t get the slide projector to work.  Jack who has lots of degrees from the East Coast (specifically Brown University) and Tom (Graduate of some College in Memphis) rushed to his aid.  They worked on it for ½ hour and gave up.  Where is a 12 year old when we need one?  They only come when we tell a dirty joke now and then. 

So, Mr. Glynn, The Commodore, went it alone without visual aids and talked about this huge project without slides and pictures.  He was calm and reserved.  He really is unflappable.  This sounds like a hundred million dollar project -- in Franks capable hands.  (The Audio Visual portion of this project if there is one -- should be farmed out).  I hope they thought of restrooms in the plans.  (Frank now is pulling out the plans with a nervous grin and checking on that, sometimes you miss things).  Things happen, projectors don’t always work, rest rooms don’t get built. 

I sure like Frank.  I wish he had more time to spend with us.  I love it when he comes to meetings.  If you get a chance, sit next to him next time he comes to the meeting.  You’ll be glad you did.

(I have to send this off now, so forgive the mistakes or I will get you. ..GW)