It was woImagenderful  to have DG Ross Butterworth attend our meeting as part of his and wife Annette's busy schedule in meeting all of the District clubs over his year of governorship.   The membership  turn-up was strong and Ross responded appropriately with his easy but polished and personal address. 

 Ross first outlined the background and reasons for own involvement with Rotary via the Melton Valley Club.   Ross used that story to highlight his observation that Rotary (especially at the individual member level)  to its detriment does not always tell stories of it successes and so does not get full worth from those stories  by way of enhanced membership, influence, and public recognition. 

Joining Rotary with the thought for some community involvement and  a simple weekly escape with some fellowship over a meeting meal , Ross told of the subsequent and evolving pleasure and fulfilment in an International Service project in which eye operations (cataract alleviation)  on Indian village communities at a minimal cost per head had so many far reaching and flow-on effects to others in those communities.  Looking back he reflected on how he has changed and developed as a person through that and many other Rotary projects and experiences.

Like all DG's,  Ross undertook a Rotary  DG  training week in the USA.   From that he reiterated three noteworthy points about Rotary in the current times.

1 Polio Plus.  The amazing success of this project, which kicked off in 1988, has seen $1.2Billion directly contributed by Rotary and another $9Billion in partnership efforts with various NCO's.    The drop in the number of polio cases to almost the point whereby the disease has been eradicated-there being only a about 100+ cases this year confined to the Somalia-Keneya region-was a wonderful effort and a driving reason behinds Rotary's current goal to get it "Finished" . 

2. Membership.  We hear of flagging membership but in reality the recruitment is fine, it is the problem of retention at the heart of the issue.  Ross commented that clubs need to aware of this and establish processes to provide  opportunities for newer members in projects and direction from the older hands.

3. Public Image   This was important.   Instead of emphasising a new image in promotions, publicity campaigns and like, the key was get the World to understand what Rotary is and does.     There is a concerted Australian national level campaign ( agreed by all clubs) underway taking advantage of  Rotary's  capacity to invoke its networking skills in a way that will see a highly efficient use of advertising dollars spent.    Appropriate modern characteristics, such as the nature of the  "electronic profile"  were important.

 Image  Ross receiving as DG for the District  an award  presentation from member Anne Scott representing the Girl Guides pursuant to common participation in the  "Friends of Asia/Pacific" forum.