Club Assembly and Jack Fredrick Joins Rotary

On April 5^th President Tom Anderson called the club meeting to order and Greeter and Opening Marshal Joe Froehling led the group in the pledge and a prayer.  Guests were introduced. Then the President introduced Jack Fredricks and he was inducted into the club as our newest member.

Notable among the announcements was the celebration of John Gray’s 26^th Rotary Anniversary and Molly Swenson’s fourth Wedding Anniversary and third Club Anniversary.  Gary Thompson was welcomed back from his winter retreat in Mexico and Darel Leipold corrected the bulletin that there were 13 days until tax day because we have the weekend this year.    

Our Program was a Club Assembly with the purpose of discussing Club Communications.  President Tom noted that the Board of Directors had discussed club communications and thought that members should be brought up-to-date about the club’s communication plan and upcoming improvements and suggestions to keep members informed about club announcements and activities and how members can update their personal information on the website. 

Steve Frazier was called upon to describe the Club’s Communication Plan that included how to access the Club’s Website, how members can update their personal information, and future additions to the club’s communication plan.  Frazier asked how many members had visited our site and nine members raised their hands.  Steve said that we were in a new age of electronic communications but that our club is in the “Email” phase and that is where we were exerting our current energies.  Steve invited members to visit the website and see that new look that Scott Zerby did to make our website more modern and user friendly.  Our website is at www.excelsiorrotary.org and our homepage has four main elements: Weekly stories with pictures and all the events of the club; an Events Calendar of weekly club meetings and upcoming speakers, STRIVE, and other club events and programs;  a listing of all the Club Officers that members can click-on to send them an email without having to look it up in the club directory; and links to the District 5950 Website.  Steve mentioned that there are many capabilities that Communications Committee is currently working on which include on-line Pay Pal to pay member fees, event and dinner costs for special events with registration electronically rather than our current pencil and paper model.

Frazier then explained how members can log-in to the website to update their personal information by going to www.excelsiorrotary.org and then logging-in by supplying their email address and that their password.  Steve told them that he would send out an instruction sheet of the step-by-step process for them to access the site and how then to update their information.

Steve completed his remarks by announcing that the Communications Committee currently sends out all-member email that are sent to Steve with important announcements or other information about upcoming events.  He indicated that Theresa Zerby was working on a link for our Excelsior Rotary on Face Book and hoped to have that up and running this spring.  Carl Zinn said that he is a Face Book user and finds it superior and he can get updates on his phone.

President Tom repeated the goal of the Club to have every member update their information this month and went over the access process with the members.  Tom then opened the meeting for member comments.  The following recommendations were made and will be put in effect for the club:  1. Email members an instruction sheet on how to access the website and step-by-step instructions on how to update members personal information on the site.  2.  Send out an all-member email once a month listing upcoming speakers and events.  3.  Add the web address to the weekly bulletin.  4.  Institute the link to Face Book for Excelsior Rotary members who would like to be informed in that manner.  (Story and Photo by Steve Frazier)