Annual General Meeting 2015-2016

On Feb. 6th, we had an Annual General Meeting for 2015-2016. 

 

Past President Bush set set a Plan to revitalize the Club by focusing on 3 main Goals. The Plan presented them to the Club under the name Phoenix Initiative in late November, 2015. The Plan included:

 

1) Increase the size of the Membership to 120 - Membership started at 61 at the beginning of the year and peaked at 119 on June 30, 2016 including 6 Honourary members. However, a total of 11 members did not renew. Still, an unparalleled growth in membership in only 7 months. There were many members that did not really believe that this Goal were achievable. 

 

2) Obtain 60% meeting Attendance - Meeting Attendance including Make Ups stood at 61.7% during the period Jan. 1, 2016 - June 30, 2016.

 

3) Reduce the average age of the Club to 55 - This goal is not measurable given that not all Dates of Birth were entered into Clubrunner. However, there was a significant reduction in the average age of the Club because of all the new members.

 

The complete Phoenix Initiative plans'  first step was to increase the size of the Membership so that we could undertake Step 2 of the Plan. The second step was to find a successful Fundraiser. Much time was spent by the Board investigating various types of fundraisers. The Fundraisers investigated included a Mud Run, 50/50 type Draw, Ribfest or Beef Fest, and Radio Bingo. Rotary Radio Bingo was selected by the Board for further consideration and then placed/discussed before the Club in April, 2016. We were lucky to have new member, Andy Richardson, come forward with this idea in April, 2016. The Bingo has been successfully launched under current President Wes MacAleer and is lead by new member, Lori Carver. Many thanks to Moe Rodgerson and Peter MacDougald who did a lot of work on the various Fundraisers that were under consideration at that time. Our Treasurer, Craig Bradley, filed a report on the Radio Bingo fundraiser during the meeting. The funds raised by the Bingo are to go back to the Communities where the fund were generated, as much as possible. We want the Rotary symbol on everything we do to promote the impact that we are making in the community and all over PEI. The third step in the Phoenix Initiative is the undertaking of new Club Projects which engages the membership and attracts new members. This still remains to be implemented and depended on a satisfactory Fundraiser. The Club should be in a position to consider the options in the near future.  

 

A large part of the Plan was to get Social Media working and our website updated, so that we can promote the Club and to make it more attractive to new prospects. Hannah Bell did a lot of work to get the Clubrunner website updated and got Facebook & Twitter going again. Paul Crant took over the Club's Twitter account increasing the Twitter Followers from 208 to 900 by the end of the fiscal year - now at 1420. Chelsey Rogerson started working the Club's Facebook page late in the fiscal year. The Club had 60 Facebook Likes in late Jan., 2016 and now has 263 Likes.   

 

Also, during Bush's year, part of the Plan was to update the Club's Bylaws since we felt were hindering the success of the Club. There was much discussion at the Board level, but only one change occurred during that year. More work is also required to update the Bylaws. Thank you to Peter Boswall for all his work in this regard.

 

 

Centennial - The Centennial Committee met many times and did a lot of work in 2015-2016 putting together Events for the Centennial year. These Events are taking place this year or have already taken place in some cases. A Commemorative Pin was designed last year which is has been distributed free of charge to Club members in Nov., 2016. A very successful New Year's Levee was accomplished already this year. Other Events to come this year include: 100 hundred trees to be planted May 17th at Government House & around Charlottetown, Youth Exchange Event during Old Home Week, Charter Night Dinner on Oct. 1, 2017 with Rotary International President. A ROTARY WHEEL in flowers will be located at the entrance PEI at the Confederation Bridge - thanks to the Provincial Highways Department. For this year as a result of the Club Centennial & Easter Seals PEI operating for 60 years, for Club member Donations to Easter Seals PEI of $100 will be matched by the Club. And finally, much work was done on the publication of a Book on the history and activities of all the Rotary Clubs on Prince Edward Island. There will be a Book launch at Jim's cottage later this year. We wish to thank the Committee Members which include: Jim Macnutt, Moe Rodgerson, Sandra MacKay, Lorne Moase, Ken Gillis, Larry Sider, Mary McMillan, & Teresa Wright.

 

Membership - Membership Growth was the driving factor behind this Committee. A prospect list of over 500 people were identified on Spreadsheet and was used to organize a Contact program. The "Membership Drive" was managed like a political nomination campaign - something that we knew about. 52 prospects were Inducted into the Club during the Dec.2015-June 30, 2016. 10 of the new members did not renew. Overall, 11 members did not renew at fiscal year end. Total Membership was 102 at end of the fiscal year not including Honourary members. Thank you to members of the Club that sponsored and referred many new members to our Club last year: Austin Bowman, Flory Sanderson, Bertha Jay, Paul Crant, Larry Sider, Scott MacEwen, and many others.

 

Attendance - In the 2015-16 Rotary Year, 6 members had 100% attendance – one of those members had 35 years of perfect attendance; one had 20 years and another had 15. In the second half of the 2015-16 Rotary Year, one half of the Regular Members of the Club had an attendance (including makeups) below 50%. We wish to thank the Attendance Committee members: Lorne Moase, Daphne Dumont, Dr. Mark Triantafillou, Sandra MacKay, Flory Sanderson, Donna McIver, Peggy Coady Compton, Mary MacMillan, Ivan Morrison, & Jeff Collins.       

 

Easter Seals -  $117,000 was raised by Easter Seals PEI in 2015-2016 for children with challenges. Last year's Easter Seals Ambassador was Tyra Mckeeman. Tyra was very friendly and outgoing. The Campaign, like every year, involves over a dozen events like the Tim Hortons Bus Tour, the Rotary Club Tour, Corporate Sponsors, Easter Beef Show & Sale, Islander Hockey Games, Storm Basketball Games, Mail In donations., etc. Club members on the Committee members included: Regan Lewis - Chair, Paul Crant - Co-Chair, Moe Rodgerson, Edna Reid, and Jim Travers. Rotary Club of Summerside representatives on the Committee were Scott Mollins & John Maynard. Rotary Club of Montague representatives on the Committee were Martha MacLean, and Maureen Hanley. Donations from the funds raised during last years Campaign were recently approved including: Camp Gencheff, Community Inclusions, Joy Riders, PEI Cerebral Palsy Association, PEI Council for People with Disabilities. As well, the disbursement of 50% of the net proceeds from the Easter Seals PEI Provincial Committee to the 3 Rotary Clubs was also recently approved. 

 

Youth Exchange - Inbounder for the year was Thomas Madessis from Belgium. Our Outbounder was Emma Clark, daughter of Ewan Clark, went to Switzerland. The Committee members in 2015-2016 were: Michelle Johnston-Lazaratos, Kim Nickerson, Daphne Dumont, Donna McIver, Jeff Collins, Carl Lafford, Scott Wilson, Mary MacMillan, and Michael Morrison. Thanks to the drivers, the committee members, and those from the club who spent time or did activities with Thomas. Thanks to Peter MacDougald for the use of his boardroom for committee meetings. And thanks to club overall for continued commitment to the program. We are happy to that we have 2 outbounders/inbounders in the coming year (2017-18).

 

Financials - Club Financials were presented during the meeting. Also, year to date financials of the Rotary Radio Bingo were presented. 

 

Pictured below at the AGM is our Treasurer for Life, Craig Bradley, and Past President, Bush Dumville.