Thanks to all of you who attended last week's club meeting at which I presented the results of our Club Visioning effort back in May. Each of our Standing Committees (you've all joined a Committee by now, right?) will be reviewing the Visioning Report and laying out their own plans for the coming year. The Club unanimously endorsed our new Club Vision Statement, which is now in the footer of the Rotario. If you'd like to see my slide show on the Visioning report, click here.
I also provided an overview of the Club Budget for the 2009-10 fiscal year, and showed how the $3,000 we budget for fines (which are really pledges by Club members to support the work of the Club) fits into the big picture of how we raise funds and what we spend it on. That $3,000 goal amounts to $75 per active Club member. Although some can afford more than this and others less, we really do need everyone to contribute their fair share – perhaps $37.50 on your birthday and on your anniversary. If you would like to pay your fines up front and get a "Get Out of Fines for the Year" card, just provide a check for $75 (or more!) to me or Treasurer Ellen Davis made payable to the Nevada City Rotary Club. Or if you prefer, to the Nevada City Rotary Club Foundation, which is a 501(c)(3) to which tax-deductible donations can be made (and is not to be confused with the Rotary International Foundation – a good cause, but not a direct funding source for our Club). It is less work for your officers and provides us more flexibility if you donate directly to the Club, but if you need the tax benefit of contributing to the Foundation, that's what it is there for. If you'd like to see my budget slides, click here.
We had a report from Austin Farrar on the success of our Fair Booth Fundraiser. Fair attendance was up 4% over 2008 and our gross receipts were up, too, and exceeded our budget goal of $25k. If you couldn't cover the 2 shifts we ask of all Club members, please contribute something to the fine pan at an upcoming meeting or send us a check to the Club or Club Foundation. I suggest $50 per shift, as that is what we paid the Rotaract Club for the 4 shifts their members covered for us.
Other, lighter moments at the meeting included a curious proposal from Robin Milam that my missing bell might reappear if I demonstrated some unstated level of devotion (or is it skill?) to the "I Love Lucy" show. Apparently this has something to do with her decision to name my missing bell, Lucy (Loose-ie?). I remain puzzled as to what she actually proposed. John Hensley also announced his annual Labor Day party, to which all Club members are invited. It starts at 2 on Monday, September 7th at John & Sandra's place on Scotts Flat Lake.
Youth Committee Chair Laura Crookston is looking for volunteers to help celebrate Literacy Day on September 8th (a District-wide effort in Rotary District 5190) by reading to children in our local schools. If you are free that day and are interested in pitching in, let Laura know.
Our Membership Committee has had a productive summer. We will be inducting our first new members of the new year this Thursday – Karen Young, a retired USC administrator (sponsors: Dixie Redfearn & Ben Barretta) and Derek Poppell, classification Insurance (sponsor: Pete Brost). I am very pleased to report the return to active membership of pP Kim Stewart, new classification Manufacturing. We're halfway to our goal of 10 new members for the 2009-10 year!
Congratulations to Larry Undercoffer, July's Rotarian of the Month! Thank Larry when you see him for his hard work in getting the Fair Booth repaired, cleaned up and ready for the Fair. This Thursday, Jim Dierberger will be updating us on the Nevada County chapter of Habitat for Humanity. See you there!
