When we think about how to become a better communicator, we often think about the tools we use: our PowerPoint deck, our posture and our poise. And these are crucial. But the real key to sustained, long-term improvement and success as a communicator might surprise you, in part because they are simple, easy to implement and available to everyone:
Attitude (positive and proactive)
Commitment (total and persistent)
Training (thorough and long term)
Now you have the right attitude, commitment and training --what next?
Jerry will explain four major skill sets to improve communication:
Assess: Analyze honestly your own skill and the challenge in front of you.
Message: Craft a clear, persuasive and compelling argument.
Document: Support that message with slides or other supplementary media.
Deliver: Present your message with confidence and clarity.
The meeting in the Winnetka Community House was opened at 12:15 by President Bill Leske. The Thought for the Day came from Wes Baumann who simply suggested we only use the three tables closest to the front as we had only 25 members present. It was followed by the pledge of allegiance led by President Bill. There were no visitors. Lunch was served at 12:20 and the meeting then started at 12:35.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: President Leske noted we had no birthdays or Rotary anniversaries to celebrate. He reminded us there are two Rotary trips available and anyone seeking further details should contact him.
He also noted August is “Membership” month and asked we all make a special effort to invite guests and remember there is a 1000 Harris points bounty to anyone who recruits a new member and that member stays for a year.
Rich Lalley noted the Kids Against Hunger has again been favored with $2500 grant from Rotary International.
HAPPY BUCKS: Ned Meisner threw in some Happy Bucks in recognition of a successful medical procedure that corrected his atrial fibrillation called Catheter Ablation. He also gave a second offering to celebrate going to Florida to help a good friend celebrate their 65th birthday.
John Thomas did the same for a similar catheter ablation treatment he recently had to eliminate atrial flutter.
DIG AND GRIN- Rick Borjesson provided two anecdotes. The first elicited appreciative whistles and clapping. The second got a plethora of groans ….
SPEAKER : The speaker for the day was Ned Meisner who detailed a service project in Ecuador that seeks an $80,000 Global Grant. The new grant would be a follow-on to a grant just successfully concluded. Ned had recently spent two weeks in the Quito, Ecuador area with an American friend whose late wife was Ecuadorean. While there in Ecuasor, Ned saw a successful water project, a school and a medical facility used by visiting U.S. doctors.
The new project is to be a second stage of training and implementing locals in better farming and crop distribution systems.
After a ten minute intro, Ned switched to a telephone connection with two Ecuadoreans who would be the leaders of the project, Dr. José Suarez and his wife Dolores Lopez-Suarez. They were visiting in San Diego. They outlined some details of the proposed project which they described as building a “training farm”. The audience was able to ask them some questions to get a better feel of what would be done with the second grant for the project..
There followed some questions about the mechanics of Global Grants in the Rotary International system with Ned and Rich Lalley able to answer those queries. It wa a well received talk with Mr. Meisner getting a nice round of applause at the end.
The meeting closed at 1:21 p.m. with a recitation of the Rotary 4-Way Pledge.
Thank you to the 33 members of our club who donated a total of $11,430 to The Rotary Foundation's Annual Program Fund in the 2017-18 Rotary Year, exceeding our goal of $10,000 and setting a record level of giving!
Please thank these Rotarians for making their annual contribution, especially those in bold who are Paul Harris Fellows:
Sam Badger*+, Wes Baumann, Jean Beckman, Mary Lou Bilder Gold, David Birkenstein*+, Laura Cunningham, Joe Fell, David Grant*, Heather Higgins,Tony Kambich*, Gerry Keenan, Mark Kotz, Marie Kuipers,Rich Lalley+, Denny Lauer,Bill Leske, Robert Mardirossian, Rodger Morris*, Tom Nash, Chuck Norton, Felicia O'Malley, Lee Padgitt, Brooke Peppey, Keith Reed, Randy Reeves, Bob Sanfilippo, Fred Schwimmer+, Heidi Sibert, Peter Skalski, John Thomas,Barb Tubekis, and Patti Van Cleave, Carl Yudell. * signifies a Major Donor+ signifies Paul Harris Society ($1,000 per year)
There are many reasons to give to the The Rotary Foundation:
Contributions support humanitarian and educational projects initiated and run by Rotary Clubs and Districts in six areas of focus- Disease prevention and treatment, maternal & child health, education & literacy, water and sanitation, economic & community development and peace & conflict resolution. Learn more by reviewing the Foundation’s annual report.
Contributions come back to support projects of our club's projects, like our coats for kids, Kids Against Hunger and International grants projects like our breadfruit tree project in Haiti, the water and sanitation project we helped fund for school in Guatemala, and the digital x-ray/community health clinic project organized by District 6440. This year, we received nearly $4,000 for our Kids Against Hunger project! But we must give to receive.
Giving to The Rotary Foundation is an easy way for you to participate in Rotary’s service work beyond our club, providing you a personal connection to this great organization and the good it does throughout the world.
It’s easy to give. You can donate with a check or credit card at lunch; you can send a check to “WNRCF” (mark TRF in the memo line) to our club at 620 Lincoln Ave, Winnetka; you can donate via PayPal by clicking here, or you can donate directly to The Rotary Foundation at www.rotary.org or by calling 866-976-8279. One very convenient way to give is by making a recurring monthly gift on your credit card, which you can set up on Rotary’s website.
If you have not already supported The Rotary Foundation this year, please do so now.
If you have any questions about The Rotary Foundation or how to give, contact Rich Lalley.
We are pleased to announce our formal agreement with the Rotary Club of Les Cayes, District 7020, Haiti, to partner on a Global Grant project that will bring sustainable jobs and locally grown protein rich food to the Jeremie region of Haiti.
We are looking to raise approximately $20,000 for this project, which when matched $2.50 to $1 by The Rotary Foundation, will provide $70,000 in funding for this project. Rotary Clubs interested in participating should email info@wnrotary.org.
Areas of Focus
¨ Economic & Community Development
¨ Maternal & Child Health
¨ Bonus: Positive Environmental Impact
Project Objectives
¨ Restore and expand breadfruit production in Jeremie region of Haiti that was devastated by Hurricane Matthew
¨ Create a local, solar-powered breadfruit processing facility
¨ Provide vocational training to farmers, facility workers
¨ Develop the domestic and export market for breadfruit products
Planned Activities
¨ Propagate and grow 5,000 breadfruit saplings
¨ Provide ready-to-produce tress to small holder farmers and coop orchards
¨ Fund processing equipment for new facility (building funded by cooperating NGO)
¨ Provide packaged breadfruit breakfast meals to local schools
¨ Provide vocational training to farmers and workers
Expected Outcomes
¨ Produce 2.5 - 5 million lbs. of breadfruit annually
¨ Economic impact on region- $470,000 - $900,000 annually
¨ Good jobs and businesses for local population in poorest region of Haiti
¨ Provide nutritious meals to school children
¨ Develop an export industry for Haiti
Contribute to this project with the button below. Donations will be matched 2.5 to 1 by The Rotary Foundation.
Areas of Focus