President Dawn called her first Rotary Club meeting to order at 12:27 pm. After the patriotic song and Four Way Test, Max Wisgerhof reminded us of Wayne Gretzky’s famous quote on how to succeed. “Skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been.” Ingrid Sheldon led the song “Happy Wanderer” honoring president Dawn’s recent Rotary trip to the Rotary International Convention in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Downs Herold introduced guest Rona Hu. Rona was an Interact member in Taiwan. She saw us marching in the Fourth of July parade and has expressed interest in membership.
Announcements
President Dawn announced the birthdays of Terry Foster, Joyce Hunter, Dan Romanchik, Joanne Pierson, Barb Dawes, Barbara Eichmuller, and Roy More. Club retention was celebrated with noting 18 member anniversaries of over 15 years. They are: Deanna Relyea, Anne Glendon, Terry Foster, Ingrid Sheldon, Pat Pooley, Shelly MacMillan, Dave Williams, Patricia Garcia, Don Devine, Susan Smith, Frode Maaseidvaag, Ashish Sarkar, Joanne Pierson, Dave Keosaian, Tim Marshall, Dave Keren, Bob Mull, and Tom Millard. Congratulations to all.
Special thanks to those who participated in the 4th of July Parade, and congratulations to Bonita Singal and Bob Buckler, who are the new co-chairs of the Program Committee.
Meeting Location Change: On August 20, we will meet at Cobblestone Farm as it is Move In Day at the University. Our guest speaker will be Debbie Dingell, and the cost will be $37.50. Sign up in advance. Guests are welcome
District 6380 Rotary Year 2025-26 Kickoff: Baseball at Jimmy John’s Field with the Hoppers vs the Beavers. $35 per person.
Congratulations to Sam Kottamasu, for his Award of Excellence.
GPO September 15 at Barton Hills Country Club: Greg reminded everyone to sign up early.
Rotary Strategic Plan Implementation: Dawn Johnson
The meeting focused on the importance and implementation of the Rotary strategic plan for 2025-2028. President Dawn emphasized the plan’s role in setting a clear direction, ensuring relevancy, and fostering member engagement. She outlined the four phases of the planning process, including identifying critical issues, developing a vision, creating a plan, and tracking progress. She thanked the over 100 Rotarians for their commitment and participation in the year-long focus groups, and encouraged continued involvement in the plan’s execution.
Vision Statement Finalization
The meeting focused on reviewing and finalizing a new vision statement for RCAA, which was developed through a year-long series of discussions and voting sessions. The group aligned their strategic priorities with Rotary International’s Action Plan, which includes increasing impact, expanding reach, enhancing participant engagement with Pennies for Polio a continued priority, and improving adaptability. The club’s new vision statement was approved, emphasizing their commitment to being an organization of active, engaged, service-minded individuals who improve lives in their community and around the world.
Strategic Growth Plan
The meeting focused on three strategic priorities: expanding reach, increasing impact, and adapting governance. The club plans to grow and diversify membership, improve project engagement, and streamline operations through a committee audit and community assessment. Members aim to enhance understanding of their impact and brand through outreach programs and environmental initiatives. Dawn also discussed the need to improve participant engagement and adapt their governance structure to ensure long-term success.
Committee Roles and Partnership Expansion
President Dawn discussed committee structures and partnerships. The focus groups explored ways to clarify committee roles, including creating job descriptions and charges, and determining when committees should be permanent versus ad hoc. They discussed expanding partnerships beyond other service clubs to include environmental groups and organizations with whom they currently provide grants. Dawn also addressed the need for community outreach and assessment, with plans to engage educational institutions and local government entities.
Your Rotary Why
President Dawn had forms on the tables for each member to fill out and return their “why” in order to expand community outreach.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:30
