A New Year for the Rotary Club of Pensacola

Thanks to recent changes in our bylaws, we now have a management structure that is easy to understanding and more conducive to volunteerism. The club has been organized into five work areas, or councils:

1. Communications
   Council
2. Foundation Council,
3. Community Service Council
4. Membership
   Council
5. Administration Council

Every member of the club is being asked to serve on at least one council.

Leadership Team

Our leadership team for 2007-2008 is beginning to take shape. The Communications Council will be chaired by Hugh Hamilton. He will oversee the work of three committees: Programs, Sunshine and Publications & Media Relations. Paul Young will chair the Programs Committee. Ron Martin has agreed to chair Sunshine for another term, and Nigel Allen will be the new chair of our Publications & Media Relations Committee.

Hill Turner has agreed to chair the Foundation Council. This council will coordinate our work on behalf of Rotary International Foundation. I’ve asked Hill to focus on projects and programs that reflect the RI president’s theme for the year. John Shaffer will chair the RI Foundation and Sandra Smith has agreed to chair the International Projects Committee. Jean Norman will chair the Past Presidents Committee. I’m asking this panel of former presidents to serve as our institutional memory bank and provide guidance in the selection of new Paul Harris Fellows.

The Community Service Council will coordinate the work of our local foundation – the Rotary Club of Pensacola Foundation (RCOPF). The RCOP Foundation is the repository of funds raised on behalf of the club for noteworthy programs of interest to our members. A Local Projects Committee, chaired by Andrea Farage, will screen proposals submitted by local organizations and make funding recommendations to the foundation. Ray Jones has agreed to chair the Community Service Council and Bo Carter will chair the RCOP Foundation. Jim Martin will, once again, chair our Scholarships Committee, and Ed Wonders has agreed to continue working with the Interact Clubs.

The Membership Council will be chaired by Richard Sherrill. This council is comprised of three committees:  Orientation & Retention, Greeters and the Family of Rotary. Martin Harwood has agreed to chair greeters for another year and Jack Williams will continue to provide new member orientations. New board member Carol Law will chair the Family of Rotary, and we plan to use this committee to assist with recruitment of new members.

The Administration Council will be comprised of the club officers, the Sergeant-at-Arms, the Finance Committee and a new Club Planning Committee. President-Elect Keith Bullock has agreed to chair the Administration Council and Bob Benz will chair the Finance & Investments Committee for another year. I’m also asking the RI Foundation Chairman (John Shaffer) and the RCOP Foundation Chairman (Bo Carter) to serve on the Finance and Investments Committee, along with the club Treasurer Ron Jackson. Our club secretary, Innes Richards, will be responsible for office administration, and the full council will be responsible for special assemblies, installations, district conferences and CROP. Tim Kane will continue his duties as sergeant-at-arms.

New Policy

Thanks to Past President Jim Stolhanske and the ’06-’07 board of directors, we now have a new policy to help direct our fund-raising efforts. This new policy was adopted in an effort to improve the process for awarding grants to local clubs and organizations, and to reduce the number of times we hit-up our members for contributions. We now have two distinct paths to follow in obtaining club support for worthy projects. The first path merely emulates our old “Givers” plan. We raise money from our members and distribute the funds based on recommendations from the appropriate committee. The second path outlines a process for sponsoring and conducting projects on behalf of the community.

RCOP Grant Program:

• The Rotary Club of Pensacola (RCOP) is committed to community
  service; the club supports a broad range of worthwhile causes with gifts,
  time and talent. Funds raised by the club are used to help underwrite projects
  that may be local, national or international in scope.
• The club will host a fund-drive in the springtime (April-May-June) of each
  year for the purpose of soliciting pledges and donations from the membership.
• The Rotary Club of Pensacola Foundation (RCOPF), a 501
  C (3) corporation, is the repository of funds donated by
  the membership in support of worthy causes.
• Clubs and organizations are invited to submit written requests for
  funds. All requests must be submitted no later than May
  1st of each
  year. The requests should include a letter outlining the mission and intentions
  of the organization requesting funds. All requests must be signed by the
  requesting organization and at least two (2) active members of the Rotary Club
  of Pensacola.
• All requests for funds will be forwarded to the chairman of the Community
  Services Council for consideration. The chairman will make recommendations,
  based on input from the club’s Local Projects Committee, for funding
  to the RCOP Foundation board of directors. The board of directors will announce
  the grant recipients by August 1st of each year.
• The Rotary Club of Pensacola Foundation is authorized to make annual grants
  in varying amounts up to $1000. The foundation may award grants in excess
  $1000 upon approval of the board of directors of The Rotary Club of Pensacola.
• A portion of the funds raised during the annual fund-drive may be used
  to support local community projects, local Interact Clubs and
  the Rotary International Foundation (RIF).
• The foundation may hold a portion of the pledges and donations in reserve
  to meet special needs that may arise during the year.

Club-sponsored projects:

• Club-sponsored projects are worthy initiatives conducted by the membership
  of the Rotary Club of Pensacola for the good of local, national or international
  communities.
• All club-sponsored projects should reflect the mission, vision and values
  of Rotary International. They should be prepared and presented in written
  form to the membership, during a regularly scheduled meeting, by the sponsoring
  committee, group or individual prior to board approval.
• Upon approval by the board of directors, club-sponsored projects become
  eligible to receive support and funding from the membership.
• The club may undertake fund-raisers and conduct special solicitations on
  behalf of club-sponsored projects. Members are encouraged to support club-sponsored
  programs with their time, talent and gifts. Only club-sponsored projects
  may solicit funds from the membership during regular club meetings.
• All requests for board approval of projects should be sent to the club
  president by May 1st of each year. Club-sponsored projects are not eligible for grants
  from The Rotary Club of Pensacola Foundation.

Worthy Projects

Please get the word out to the community that the Rotary Club of Pensacola is accepting applications for grants to be awarded in late summer of this year. Applicants must submit a letter explaining how the funds will be used and the general mission and vision of the requesting organization(s). The letter must be signed by the applicant and two (2) sponsoring members of the Rotary Club of Pensacola.

The Rotary Club of Pensacola Foundation will be making grant awards on or before August 1, 2007. The grants may vary in amounts up to $1000, but the board of directors of the club has the prerogative of awarding larger amounts in support of special needs or noteworthy projects.

Grant requests should be addressed to the President of the Rotary Club of Pensacola, P.O. Box 528, Pensacola, Florida, 32591.

Spring Giving

We need every member to consider donating $300 per year to our campaign for a better community. A $300 gift will allow us to fund our commitments to Rotary International and support a number of worthwhile community projects. Ron Jackson has been working hard to clean up the billing process. We will no longer mix pledge collections with dues payments. The RCOP Foundation will be sending out pledge notices once a quarter. You will receive a separate notice regarding annual dues. The club is grateful for gifts of any amount!

We are poised for another really good year in the Rotary Club of Pensacola. I trust you will find the most appropriate position from which to serve your community. Please let me know if I may be of help to you, and remember to “place service above self.”

Very truly yours,

Jerry Maygarden
June 12, 2007