President’s Report
March is Water, Sanitation and Hygiene month and highlights the critical need for safe water and sanitisation globally. Rotary clubs focus on sustainable projects such as drilling wells, installing toilets and promoting hygiene education-to improve health, reduce waterborne diseases and empower communities.
During March, we have continued to zoom at our lunchtime meetings, in order to include those who are unable to be physically in the room. If you are able to come to the meeting in person, you also gain the social aspect, and also it is good to have a reasonable audience for the guest speaker, to make it worth their while. My thanks to the Membership Director for providing the equipment and organising this facility.
During the past month, we have inducted Anne Anderson who has joined the Youth Committee. Welcome to the club, Anne.
We heard an update on the work being done at Wireless Hill from Graham Jenke and the friends of Wireless Hill. We also heard two really interesting thumbnails one from one of our newer members, Rebecca Saracini, and also one from a member who has been in Rotary for 18 years, Ian Williams. Many thanks to Rebecca and Ian for the insight into your backgrounds and work history.
Ian Williams Rebecca Saracini
The Four Couple Dinners are now underway, and we have already had a report back from one group that recently met and had a great time getting to know each other better in a smaller environment. The groups were formed by names being drawn out of a hat, so hopefully each and every member will have the same experience as the first group who reported back.
Epic Day of Service Saturday
The Epic Day of Service 2026 is a global day of community service organized by Rotary, taking place on May 16, 2026. It is an annual event that unties Rotary clubs, Rotaractors and community members worldwide to engage in meaningful service projects that address local needs , strengthen community bonds, and inspire hope.
The 2026 event aims to build on the success of previous years, where thousands of volunteers participated in hundreds of projects across multiple continents. It provides an opportunity for individuals and clubs to showcase their efforts, amplify Rotary’s visibility ad create lasting impact in communities globally.
It’s vision is to bring together 1.2 million Rotarian members and countless community members worldwide for an extraordinary day of transformative service projects--an unmissable opportunity to be part of a global movement showcasing the very best of humanity in action.
The Rotary Club of Melville is planning an event on this day. More information to follow.
A reminder that we are still looking for a President Elect, and so, if you feel you would like to assist the club in that role, please let myself, or the current President Elect/Secretary, Dale Cole know.
Regards
Marilyn
PDG Marilyn Barton
President: Rotary Club of Melville 2024-2026
February 21st & 22nd saw President Elects for 2026/27 come together for PETS (President Elects Training).
Here were heard, via video, from Olayinka (Yinka) H. Babalola RI President 2026-27 with the 2026/27 message (Theme)
We explored the year to come with the help of the Muppets.
As the President elect for 2026/27, I am excited to be working with each one of you on the road ahead. My challenge to you is to consider what you think is enduring Impact and as many of the club are past presidents:
I am keen to hear your thoughts…..
Dale Cole – President elect 2026/27
Making your club welcoming
Adding members brings fresh ideas and new perspectives that help keep your club vibrant. Having more members also allows you to make a bigger impact. And attracting new members is necessary for your club's future.
As you think about how you can find new members, first make sure that your club offers an experience that prospective members want and that it is welcoming, inclusive, appealing, and accessible to everyone.
Making your club welcoming
Your members' and guests' impressions will be affected by how welcome they feel, whether they have a sense of belonging in your club, how engaging they find your meeting or event, or how much they enjoy your social gathering or service project.
A welcoming club culture
Think about how your club treats guests and how all members can make people feel welcome, even in small ways. Designating a specific person to make a guest feel comfortable can also make a big difference.
- Introduce Yourself. Saying Hello, telling someone your name, asking for theirs makes a connection, and it means you can then introduce them to others.
- Give them a name tag - If your club members wear a name tag, be sure to have blank ones available for guests. This will help remember their name, It’s also a good Idea to get their contact information so you can stay connected
- Ask if they need anything - Find out if you can do anything to make them more comfortable. Ask if they have any questions about what they expect at the meeting or event and if you can help them find anything they need
- Introduce them to others- Offer to introduce the guest to other people. If the meeting includes time for Socializing, accompany the guest and talk with other members , especially people who have simila profession or hoby
- Help them Find a seat – A guest may not know where to sit. Offer to help them find a place to get settled. Ask if they prefer any particular location and accommodate them as much as you can
- Have someone sit with them- Guests at club events may not know anyone. Having a member sit next to them to explain what’s happening and why can make them feel more comfortable and more engaged.
- Answer Questions- ask guests if they have any questions both before and after the event. If you cant answer the question introduce the person to someone in the club that can
- Follow up with them- Be sure to call, text or email guests a few days or a week afterwards to ask what they thought and if they have any questions , invite them back if they are interested
These suggestions may apply most obviously to in-person meetings, but you can use them for online or hybrid events, too. Introduce yourself to a guest in your meeting platform's chat or by private message. Introduce them to others the same way, and offer to answer questions by private message during the event.
Offering the option of attending online is another way to make your meetings and events accessible to as many people as possible. If you don't attend online regularly, familiarize yourself with the platform and its features ahead of time, so that you can help and interact with anyone who joins virtually.
Accommodating disabilities
Accommodating everyone to make them as comfortable as possible will help them feel that they could belong to your club. If someone has a disability, there may be unique accommodations that will help them feel more welcome. You'll learn more about this later in the course.
Inclusive words and actions
A guest's experience is heavily influenced by whether they feel they could belong in your club. If someone feels excluded, they are likely to get a negative impression of the club — regardless of whether exclusion was intended. Being inclusive means interacting with people in a way that acknowledges diversity, respects differences, and promotes equitable opportunities.
Inclusive actions
When you encounter people whose abilities, experiences, or characteristics differ from yours, treat them with the same respect you give to those who are more like you.
Think about whether you've had several visitors from any specific group who never returned, and what the reasons for that might be. Make changes based on your conclusions.
You can learn from people who are different from you by listening humbly, not interrupting or making pronouncements about their experience, apologizing for any mistakes you make, and intervening if you observe a microaggression. Microaggressions are words or actions that offend people or make them feel unwelcome by reinforcing negative stereotypes or power dynamics. They may be intentional or unintentional, and they reflect biases that might be conscious or unconscious.
Inclusive Language
Use inclusive language in both written and spoken communication. You can be inclusive by:
- Avoiding assumptions about people's backgrounds, professions, education, abilities, or the gender of their romantic partners
- Recognizing individual experiences within groups rather than making generalizations about a group as a whole
- Avoiding regional phrases, language-specific idioms, or Rotary jargon that not everyone would understand
- Mentioning your pronouns when you introduce yourself or including them on your name tag
Tick the items below to indicate what your club does that makes it welcoming. Then consider how you might address the ones you left unmarked.
- We have at least one person who greets everyone, especially guests, to make them feel welcome.
- Our club members use inclusive words and actions.
- We designate a member to talk to guests after an event to gather feedback about their experience, answer questions, and invite them to return.
