Installation of New Officers for 2013-14
The Rotary Club of Ashland installed new officers for the 2013-14 year. Outgoing President Dennis Miller shared his farewell address before handing the gavel over to incoming President Jerry Strausbaugh.
What follows is the text of President Miiler's...Ashland Rotary Presidential Farewell Address
I promise to make my comments brief – I am sure, after 12 months, you are ready to hear someone else up here.
When you attend PETS training prior to becoming President, you get a lot of great idea’s, and it really reinvigorates your Rotary Spirit.
As I looked over the speech I gave on July 10th of last year, one of my first proposal’s was to do no harm – and I think I succeeded there. Thanks to the members, the committee chairs, officers and board, the Ashland Rotary continues to run very well. We are also in good shape financially
My other idea’s included working more with the interact club, devoting one meeting a month to committee’s, ( actually Jerry’s idea ) and doing more joint projects with the surrounding clubs, and to grow membership.
Other than the joint projects with the clubs in our district, and membership, I feel we accomplished most of those objectives. I would encourage more interaction with the interact club, as we can leverage their manpower for our projects, and vice versa. As Immediate Past President, I will endeavor to seek out a joint service project with the other clubs in our district, or perhaps we can leverage them to assist with one of our existing projects!
All in all, I am very proud of our club for the domestic projects we have, and for the international shelter box project.
I think we can be happy with who we are, and the assistance we provide in and out of our community.
But, let’s never stop looking for more opportunities. And, let’s not be shy about talking about our club to our friends, family, neighbors or business associates – the sure path to the longevity of our club is to increase membership! At the start of my Presidency, we had 60 members, and although we gained a few members, we also lost members for various reasons, and our total membership now stands at 58, for a net loss of 2.
This is a new year, and I know Jerry has a lot of good idea’s, and I know the board, and the members, will help him accomplish them.
I sincerely hope you have enjoyed this year, I know I have. It has been an honor to serve as your President, and I very much appreciated the experience.
Now, after today, I’ll get to do what all the past Presidents do, sit in the cheap seats!
President Jerry shared his goals for the next year, which can be viewed is the video.