Hi to you all,
Many thanks to all members of the Club who attended the Club Forum on 12 March discuss a forward strategy for the Karori Club. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend as my children and I were away at a school camp. Phil Oliver and Allan Frazer as President’s Elect for 2024-2025 are to be warmly congratulated for the work they put into the strategy document and for leading out discussion.
There are big challenges ahead. I am pleased there was a general consensus to work on a ‘blended approach’ to maintain the strengths we have as a club around meetings at Samuel Marsden, but bringing in some new focus in our programmes which could also include meeting in other venues and in other ways, plus significantly increasing our community projects to engage members and have the support of our communities of interest.
Consultation with our many community groups will be a key part of this objective. This is going to require a lot of work and responsibility for members, but we should all be up for this challenge to prove we have a strong presence in Karori and in other areas of our activities. The board will now put the necessary details together to advance the plan.
We propose to bring these details back to a further Club Forum in early May to get your endorsement.
At our last meeting Club members welcomed Major Alister Irwin, from the Salvation Army, who has transferred from Auckland where he was a member of the Ellerslie- Sunrise Rotary Club. I am delighted as are other members of the board that Alister who took part in discussions on the Club’s future is keen to join our Club. We are arranging his Rotary transfer.
This is also time to be thinking of District Conference in April in Whanganui. The Conference provides opportunities to mix with other Clubs and get updates on Rotary programmes. Engagement with our fellow grouping of Clubs is crucial for building strength around projects and their delivery. It is an exciting time ahead.
We also need to continue our support for The Rotary Foundation. The Karori Club has had a strong commitment to The Foundation and we have to get this year’s funding sent by May to qualify for projects to be funded from contributions made in 2023-2024.
I look forward to seeing you all on Tuesday.
Regards
President Jay