Shrimp Feed discussion summaries
During the John Simpson Shrimp Feed on July 11, in the Club Assembly portion after supper, the Board of Directors asked members to discuss several questions related to club operations and activities. Here are summaries of the discussions, as compiled by Secretary Steve Kirks.
What do you like best about the Shrimp Feed? The least? How can we make it better and would you be willing to help make it better?
Answer: Most all of groups like the tradition of the event, the unstructured social time, and the outdoor environment, especially the venue. Dislikes were minor, centering around the heat of a July event and suggested improvements included: Food: add dessert, offer peeled shrimp, breadsticks instead of toast (concern for labor), wide variety of drinks Environment: stay outdoors, change the start time to later in hopes to beat the heat (or change time of year), fans like last year, add folks to help organize the parking, handwashing station Activities: everyone liked the social aspect, and some suggested extending it or adding activities like cornhole/similar.
Southeast is one of the few clubs that still has a meeting attendance requirement for members (50%). Rotary International no longer requires it nor do the other local Rotary Clubs. Should our policy change? Why or why not?
Answer: This was overwhelmingly answered as “keep” but make attendance something to achieve vs something to penalize. Most of the comments described the alternatives like Zoom or other clubs. Jennifer’s notes mentioned increase the engagement for the meeting. Engagement ideas: add Zoom attendance call outs to the meeting (attending online are Steve Kirks, Andrea Bishop, etc.), involve the Zoom folks in the meeting, if you attend another Rotary club’s meeting to make attendance numbers then you will read out on their meeting during the items from the floor segment. Make getting a makeup easy – communicate more, maybe a Google form/DACdb form to use
Rotary’s motto is “Service above Self”. Is our club living up to the motto? Should Southeast have more service projects? Do you have any long-term or short-term service project ideas for us to consider?
Answer: The groups answered that we are living up to the motto, some saying that it’s not the way you serve but the service itself. This was in reference to donations versus in-person activities. The food service at the Fairbanks was brought up in groups, some suggesting we do more or have an alternative. In my group, the question was “if it doesn’t cost the club money, why would we stop (offering it)?” One group mentioned we could start with the non-profits in our own club for ideas. Another group said that club projects should have a start and finish. Many groups mentioned something like the United Way Day of Caring, so one idea would be to find a common day with other Rotary clubs in the district and do something similar. Idea: new members need to define a service project and present to the committee(s) as part of their 100-point journey Service project ideas: Habitat for Humanity House Build Day of Caring (or similar) Ozarks Greenways K-Park work YMCA (?) Work with SPS – hunger, role models, work with counselors (like a bring kid to work day)
Committee experience helps build leadership opportunities and understanding of our club. Are you involved in a Rotary committee? If so, why are you involved, and if not, why not?
Answer: Without a full tally, I’d estimate this to be a split of 70/30 with the majority in a committee which tracks to the type of member that attends the SF. The answers to this were all over the map. Some members felt like they had to be invited and others were unaware of the process to join. Many expressed frustrations with DACdb and finding contact info and committee members to find out what’s going on. Ideas: Committee leaders need to be passionate, advertise their group and why it’s important. Each weekly Spokesman should have a report on a recent committee meeting with reminders of the process to sign up. Maybe publish the chairpersons and committees in each issue (like birthdays/anniversaries)
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The Board will use the discussions as it considers club activities and policies.
What do you like best about the Shrimp Feed? The least? How can we make it better and would you be willing to help make it better?
Answer: Most all of groups like the tradition of the event, the unstructured social time, and the outdoor environment, especially the venue. Dislikes were minor, centering around the heat of a July event and suggested improvements included: Food: add dessert, offer peeled shrimp, breadsticks instead of toast (concern for labor), wide variety of drinks Environment: stay outdoors, change the start time to later in hopes to beat the heat (or change time of year), fans like last year, add folks to help organize the parking, handwashing station Activities: everyone liked the social aspect, and some suggested extending it or adding activities like cornhole/similar.
Southeast is one of the few clubs that still has a meeting attendance requirement for members (50%). Rotary International no longer requires it nor do the other local Rotary Clubs. Should our policy change? Why or why not?
Answer: This was overwhelmingly answered as “keep” but make attendance something to achieve vs something to penalize. Most of the comments described the alternatives like Zoom or other clubs. Jennifer’s notes mentioned increase the engagement for the meeting. Engagement ideas: add Zoom attendance call outs to the meeting (attending online are Steve Kirks, Andrea Bishop, etc.), involve the Zoom folks in the meeting, if you attend another Rotary club’s meeting to make attendance numbers then you will read out on their meeting during the items from the floor segment. Make getting a makeup easy – communicate more, maybe a Google form/DACdb form to use
Rotary’s motto is “Service above Self”. Is our club living up to the motto? Should Southeast have more service projects? Do you have any long-term or short-term service project ideas for us to consider?
Answer: The groups answered that we are living up to the motto, some saying that it’s not the way you serve but the service itself. This was in reference to donations versus in-person activities. The food service at the Fairbanks was brought up in groups, some suggesting we do more or have an alternative. In my group, the question was “if it doesn’t cost the club money, why would we stop (offering it)?” One group mentioned we could start with the non-profits in our own club for ideas. Another group said that club projects should have a start and finish. Many groups mentioned something like the United Way Day of Caring, so one idea would be to find a common day with other Rotary clubs in the district and do something similar. Idea: new members need to define a service project and present to the committee(s) as part of their 100-point journey Service project ideas: Habitat for Humanity House Build Day of Caring (or similar) Ozarks Greenways K-Park work YMCA (?) Work with SPS – hunger, role models, work with counselors (like a bring kid to work day)
Committee experience helps build leadership opportunities and understanding of our club. Are you involved in a Rotary committee? If so, why are you involved, and if not, why not?
Answer: Without a full tally, I’d estimate this to be a split of 70/30 with the majority in a committee which tracks to the type of member that attends the SF. The answers to this were all over the map. Some members felt like they had to be invited and others were unaware of the process to join. Many expressed frustrations with DACdb and finding contact info and committee members to find out what’s going on. Ideas: Committee leaders need to be passionate, advertise their group and why it’s important. Each weekly Spokesman should have a report on a recent committee meeting with reminders of the process to sign up. Maybe publish the chairpersons and committees in each issue (like birthdays/anniversaries)
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The Board will use the discussions as it considers club activities and policies.
