The Breadbasket provides a valuable service to ROTI with this special edition for your information re the upcoming ROTI Chair election. Chris Wilkes, as editor, and Steve Sokol, as Publisher, are to be congratulated on taking on the task for its production. Thanks guys for the wonderful service you have provided ROTI with the excellent bulletin.

As ROTI draws near to the election of a new Chair for 2009-2011, I wish to thank those of you that placed your confidence in me. During the last year and a half, I have enjoyed continuing my friendship with ROTIans for more than eleven years.

While many of my objectives as your ROTI Chair have been achieved, a few remain. Fortunately, six months remain for me to pursue a few ideas. I would appreciate any comments that you may wish to offer.

I have been asked about the duties of the ROTI Chair and offer some of these for enlightenment of those considering to stand for that office. Official Tasks:

1. Send in annual report to RI Global Networking Groups, the official name of of the 66 Fellowships and 14 Rotary Action Groups or RAGs. There are usually a few other requests for information re the fellowship. These requests usually require numbers of members, number of countries represented, amount of dues, bulletins, and other info that can be assembled from our website. I have also relied, and very thankful for the data gathered by Robin. They always want to know the financial situation, what fund raisers the fellowships have had, how the money was spent, how much was raised, and what is the balance in the account. Our Treasurer, Ann Godwin, provides this.
2. Send in report requesting booth at the International Convention. This takes a little time just to fill in the damn thing since we get them in non-writeable PDF form. It would be a lot easier to have them writeable...be easier to send also. Technically they always have requests for internet connection, its price, how to pay for it, electrical line for computers, size of booth, tables, chairs available, etc.
3. Finding out who in ROTI will be attending the convention and trying to arrange for booth attendees. It was a rough task in LA last summer since many of the regulars were unable to attend. Fortunately some others were able to spend time in booth. Art's son rigged an Internet distribution box via a cellular phone and wireless modem. I felt charges for the electrical hookup were excessive, but that happens at most conventions of any kind. Fortunately we paid for it by selling ROTI pins.
4. Attend the meeting at the RI Convention of the Global Networking Groups as the ROTI Representative. This was a very interesting meeting in Los Angeles and enjoyable to see many of the other Fellowships. The RI President usually drops in and expresses his gratitude for the service done by the Fellowships and RAGS.
5. Have the banners for the booth made, and the brochures designed and printed for the RI Convention booth. Distribute some of the brochures to those at the convention to be used for them to promote ROTI back in their home district. I can provide the brochure that my wife Glo designed. She also did the ROTI Cards that we've used during Art's term and mine.
6. Write a monthly report for the Breadbasket.

Now for the other things......

1. I send out birthday greetings to all the ROTIans, although many times I have to bunch a week or more together. I have a good selection of greeting cards and found a way to cut 'n paste the ROTIan's name and email to the address box on the cards. I try to make a generic message and toss in something re Rotary and ROTI. Usually 25% to 30% send returns thanking me, and it is nice to hear from members that never post, but enjoy ROTI. This is something that had not been done by past ROTI chairs, so not a part of the gig, but felt it important . Hopefully future Chairs may opt to continue that practice.
2. When things appear to go slow on the lists, I 'encourage' the BOD to post something/anything that might provoke interest. Obviously, I try to find something myself to act as a stimulus when needed.
3. The chair has authority to approve posts on the serious list and also OK new members. I have left the latter to Robin and Mike since they can more easily check to see who has properly signed up to the lists and also have appropriate email addresses. I have usually done the approval for posts to the Serious List, and writing the individual if it is not deem appropriate and must be denied. Sometimes I edit the post to make it comply with the rules re posts on the Serious List, and notify the poster of what was changed and why I felt the change was necessary.
4. Sometimes becoming the arbitrator becomes necessary, as in the case of those posting remarks that were adversarial or promotional re religion, politics, or jokes that might not be acceptable to the ROTI membership
5. Monitor the General, Serious, ROTI Tech and BOD lists. Interject as needed to encourage, stimulate, or curtail (if required) discussions.
6. Try to stay in touch with the many that work behind the scenes like Robin, Ivan, Mike, Mark, Chris, Steve, and Simone to keep the grease supplied that helps our wheels moving.

How much time is involved? Wish I had kept a log, but did not. Offhand, I would say that one hour or two a day usually is sufficient, but there are times when more contact is required. Sometimes I spend more, but it is usually just writing back and forth to a member or two. Many of these are not ROTI related, but those with which I have made friends over the years. I will not be attending the RI Convention in Birmingham, England this year, but have the booth request ready for submission already done.

I sincerely hope this is beneficial to those considering standing for this office. It is truly rewarding and allows you truly feel the pulse of our great organization.

Ron
Ron Nethercutt, ROTI Chair 07-09

Back to the BreadBasket Menu