RI PRESIDENT DECLARES CONFERENCE A SUCCESS

Posted by Quentin Li 
 
Saying it was a fantastic experience; President Wilf Wilkinson closed the Presidential Membership Conference held on August 10-11, 2007, in Richmond. This was the fifth of seven such conferences held around North America focusing on membership growth.
 

President Wilf thanked the more than 400 attendees by saying, "These conferences give me energy because I can see how important membership growth is to all of us.  It's a fantastic experience to see so many Rotarians working together for the future of Rotary."
 
Just as he has done in all of the conferences, the president stressed that membership growth is important for Rotary.  "The time is past for talking about Rotary membership growth.  It's time to begin the work."
 
Rotarians heard from speakers on varied topics such as how different generations see Rotary, why diversity of membership is important, the need for change in Rotary's approach to membership and strategies to start new clubs. 
  
DG Dean Rohrs introduced RI President Wilf Wilkinson at the conference banquet and welcomed delegates to District 5040. District 5040 took a leadership role in the conference as members of the organizing committee, presenters and aides to the senior Rotary leaders who attended the conference.

Conference Chair, PDG Chris Offer said, "The buzz in the room during the round-table discussions was fantastic. The exchange of ideas ensured that everyone when away with strategies that they can implement immediately."
 
In ending the conference President Wilkinson said, "The way each club approaches membership needs to be the right way for that club.  There isn't going to be any one approach that works for everyone.  "But over the course of this conference, you have gained the tools and the ideas which will help you and your club will decide what's the best way for you."
 
Chris Offer challenged the Rotarians attending to walk the talk and lead by example by personally sponsoring a new member. He said, "This conference's success will be determined over the next few months if every club represented here today has a net increase in membership."
 
President Wilf thanked those who put on the Vancouver conference by saying "Each conference has been unique and has been the result of a great deal of time and effort by the organizing committee.  This has been an outstanding conference."
 
President Wilf now moves on to San Jose, California for the next Presidential Membership Conference before ending with the final conference in Fort, Lauderdale, Florida.