Sharing how fundraising dollars are utilized…hearing results of a recent members’ survey…being reminded that the Pearl Rotary’s leadership is guided by a three-year strategic plan (2022-25)…seeking input on a possible thorny subject…

These were discussion topics that President Janet Young (pictured above) planned for the fifth-Tuesday “focus meeting” July 30.

The session started with Past President Jonelle Anderson (top-left images below), pictured at the front of the Ecotrust room, orchestrating short one-on-one Brag-like talks. A Rotarian was charged to share with another member “what we do with dollars raised by our benefit” (a reference to the Willamette Valley wine escape raffle event currently being staged).

Among the three participating Pearl pairs were: Sid Smith and Kelly Morrow (top right below), Nance Reynolds and Kyrsten Schenck (bottom left below), Phil Rothrock and Nick Fandel (bottom right below).

Copies of the strategic plan were on the tables. Committee goals were also outlined. President Janet noted that the plan will need updating before a new Rotary year begins in 2025-26 (David Scott, president).

Janet highlighted results of the recent survey with short-sentence summaries (occasionally referring to the screen with numerical results):

“For the most part, people are quite satisfied with our club.”

“People care about each other.” (The highest approval, she noted.)

“We made a difference…service projects are a reason why people join a club like this.”

“People like walking through the door and being welcome.”

“I’m proud of my Rotary Club” (“off-the charts” conclusion, Janet related).

An area that the survey showed the club could target for improvement, according to members’ opinions: “Professional connections and networking could be higher.”

The session ended with Janet’s aim: to air the issue of retaining–or not–the weekly recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. “The club is split evenly on keeping it or canceling,” she cited from the survey. “As many people feel very strongly about staying with the Pledge as those who say, ‘Don’t recite it.'”

Rotarians spoke on both sides, but without rancor. Janet’s suggestion for a compromise–perhaps only use the Pledge to open the first meeting of each month–seemed to resonate. There were no conclusions reached.