AND FINALLY

You will never reach ​for the stars without ​the courage to lose ​sight of the ground

Go on, be honest. When you first heard about North Star, what did you think? ​60,000 members for Rotary in Great Britain & Ireland by 2028? I’ll have whatever ​they’re drinking!

I guess if the ambition hadn’t been set so high, maybe 40,000 or 45,000 in three ​years’ time, the eyebrows wouldn’t have twitched so much. But 25,000 members ​by 2028, now that is going some.

In her article in the Summer print edition of Rotary Magazine, former Rotary ​International Vice-President, Nicki Scott, who was instrumental in getting ​Evanston on board with the North Star initiative, quotes Les Brown, a renowned ​motivational speaker and author, who once said: “Shoot for the moon, even if ​you miss you will land amongst the stars”. And in a world often woven with ​negativity, this is the ideal we should be targeting.

A few months ago, at a Specialist Adviser Teams pow-wow at Warwick University, ​former Rotary GB&I President and all-round good egg, Debbie Hodge, set ​Rotarians an ice-breaker to create a sunflower using crepe paper. It was an ​interesting team-building exercise and when we had finished the task there was ​some bemusement at what the task was all about.

And in the context of North Star, Debbie’s explanation was particularly pertinent. ​Sunflowers, said Debbie, can give us a visual metaphor for who we are and how ​we work.

Rotary happens at club level, she explained, so what clubs do reflects their ​engagement with their communities and the organisation.

Some are good at community engagement, while others are good at spending ​Foundation money through grants to make lasting change in communities, both ​here or overseas. Other clubs are good at corporate networking and others have ​key events which link into their community.

“Our role as the big team is to create the energy, enthusiasm and resources to ​build up clusters and Districts to enable clubs to deliver a multitude of different ​Rotary-based experiences which enhance participation, expand our reach and ​increase our impact. In other words, grow Rotary,” said Debbie. “To do that we ​need to be facing the same way and moving in unison.”

So, what about the sunflower, how does that work? Well, the sunflower the ​artistic Rotarians created had 24 petals representing the 24 Districts within ​Rotary Great Britain & Ireland.

The centre of the sunflower was filled with seeds representing the hundreds of ​Rotary experiences, projects and events. The stem and leaves represent the ​powerhouse which provides the energy, resources and assets.

“Now we have the sunflower,” added Debbie. “Let’s remember where we sit – not ​at the top attracting the attention of bees and butterflies, but at the heart of the ​plant, in the stem and leaves, creating energy so that the flower can grow and be ​sustained.

“And let us remember those fields of sunflower standing tall, moving as one as ​they track the sun across the sky.”

Poetic prose but right on the button as we embark on this North Star project ​which is critical to the future of Rotary in these islands.

Canadian author, Matshona Dhliwayo, once wrote: “When reaching for the stars, ​beware of those who want to cut off your hands.” Beware of those resistant to ​change who will present obstacles at every turn.

This issue of Rotary Magazine and Rotary Digital clearly labels the four key pillars ​of North Star – traditional club membership, direct membership, corporate and ​enterprise. Please discuss this issue within your clubs. Think how you can grow ​Rotary within your communities, and reach out to your Districts for support.