District Gov. 5080 Bob Quay

 

 

            Dec. 9: Holiday luncheon at Nectar Downtown. Holmes choir sings.

 

            Dec. 16: Luncheon at Nectar with speaker Josh White, owner of Nectar. Gifts for needy families at Holmes are due.

 

            Dec. 23 and Dec. 30: No meetings during the Holidays.

 

            Jan. 6: Luncheon meeting at Nectar. President’s report.

 

            Jan. 13: Rotary Connect, 4:30 p.m. at Helix Wines, 824 W. Sprague.

 

            “Big Build”:  Save the date…for Saturday, Jan. 25, 10-11:30 a.m., for our Rotary Serves packaging session at 2^nd Harvest Food Bank’s “Big Build” campaign.  Our members and friends will be joined by GU Rotaract members

 

            “Think about how much you (Rotarians) make of an impact in your club, your city, your county and beyond.”

 

            And, said District Gov. 5080 Bob Quay: “Imagine how Spokane would be without Rotary over the years.”

 

            Gov. Quay has been a Rotarian at the Colombia Center Club since 2005. A longtime resident of Tri-Cities technology business, Quay also served two years as mayor of Kennewick.

 

            Citing the current Rotary International motto –Rotary Connects the World—Quay said: “This is an exciting time for Rotary, which honors old traditions, but is not afraid to change.”

 

            A first challenge, he said, is “to grow membership.”

 

            Quay said while Rotary International still has 1.2 million members worldwide, membership in North America has dropped by 200,000 to 300,000.  Growth, especially in Asia, has off-set the losses elsewhere.

 

            Quay, joined by Assistant Gov. Joe Bruce of Spokane, met club officers and directors Dec. 1 and at the club luncheon Dec. 2.

           

            Quay said programs to help membership initiatives include adding Rotaract clubs and start Rotary “Passport Clubs.”

 

            In the district, three Rotaract clubs were added, including the GU club, and one more this year.  Keeping young potential Rotarians in mind, he encouraged RYLA youth members (ages 19-25) for one-week counseling personal growth camps.

 

            The Passport Clubs are innovative ways to reach Rotary members who cannot attend weekly club gatherings by connecting on computers with two meetings and 40 hours of club service.

 

            To inspire more quick projects, each of the clubs in the district can apply for $350, with the only requirements are “hands on” projects and a one-page report.  Clubs can pool the funds to work on joint projects, Quay said.

 

            District 5080 has 56 clubs, spanning from the Tri-Cities and Walla Walla to Golden and Nakusp in British Columbia. Quay said there are already four future governors in the line of succession.  Despite the hectic travels, he said it is important for Rotary to have leaderships from active profession als, not just retired members.  He noted that current RI President Mark Maloney of Decatur, Alabama, was just age 34 when he served as a governor.

 

            As Quay says, continued with emphasis on youth and innovation, plus more members, “you can have a lot of impact.”

 

            As you recover from Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, etc., don’t forget to remember our Holmes Holidays’ “$40 for 40 gifts    drive,

The wrapped gifts, with the tags outside of each present, are due at our luncheon on  Monday, Dec. 16.