As an organization, Rotary International is embracing change and is willing to do things differently. The historic first female president of Rotary International and the organization’s work in diversity, equity and inclusion, among others, are prime examples. When you do things differently, it leads to change, and change can lead to hope. Our Rotary International President is Gordon R. McInally. The theme for the year is Create Hope in the World. The RI President urges us to make Membership the lifeblood of our organization. He encourages us to use the flexibility of technology to establish new style clubs that would appeal to a different demographic. He urges us to engage our members and implement Best Practices in retention, especially mentoring.
This year, we will build on the Action Teams concept, focusing on membership engagement and measuring our impact and reach in the communities we serve. To this end, I want to adopt engagement creates impact as our central theme for this year. We have a new strategic plan, and my goal is to set up an Action Planning Team to implement the strategic plan we have created for our club. The best way to increase membership is engagement. Our club grows when members are engaged, and by so doing, we will be able to provide meaningful service to our community. We can engage our members through social media. This will reinforce Rotary’s brand, thereby showcasing the opportunities that come with it. I would like us to extend this engagement to corporate organizations through our corporate membership concept. This will help us to create meaningful partnerships.
In implementing the strategic plan around the four priority areas, we should not lose sight of the need to continue diversifying our membership and leadership. Our diverse backgrounds make Rotary stronger and irresistible.
We became a Peace Builder club last year. It is, therefore, essential to continue to promote “Peace”, which is much more than the absence of conflict.
I see “Sustaining the Environment” as an Area of Focus that will appeal to many younger people, and we must leverage this to provide a membership dividend. Against this background, I am proposing that this year, we organize an environmental-related event titled “Run or Walk for the Environment” to create awareness of our changing environment due to climate change. The 2023 unprecedented wildfires in Nova Scotia are an example of our changing environment and the need to do something about it. Rotary is better placed to do something about the environment because of our network and reach.
It is, therefore, a unique privilege to serve as club President this year with an excellent calibre of leaders serving on the board.
I would build on the progress made by recent Presidents to strengthen the concept of continuity within our club, thus ensuring that our club continues to serve in the most relevant and efficient manner possible.
Yours in Rotary,
Godfred Chongatera
President 2023/24
