Weekly programme for week commencing 20th December, 2012
President Tim takes a quick review of all that has been achieved during 2012, please use the comment section to add your memories of this exciting year.
January
• We are getting very excited now as we are getting near the 25 members to be allowed to Charter, the last push to make this happen. An early morning trek to Worcester, gets our Mary interested in joining the eClub after hearing Tim talk at the Rotary Club of Worcester Vigornia.
• District Governor Martin Greaves and Martyn Harwood make a video showing the signing of the papers to apply to be chartered.
February
• Tim is invited to visit District 1140, as they are interested in starting an eClub
• The 8th Day of February 2012 sees a new born eClub join Rotary International as it is officially chartered, we reached 27 founder members. On Saturday the 11th Feb, Shelley organizes a really good informal meet up in Gloucester to celebrate, unfortunately some members were prevented from coming due to snow.
March
• Tim and Janice invite members to our first President’s at home, a chance to get to know each other.
• Our eClub Team enter the Rotary Club of Worcester Vigornia GPS Hunt, yes to win for a second time, great fun was had by all.
April
• eClub members are involved in the Group Study Exchange Students from Sri Lanka
• The eClub takes part in the Festival of Rotary in Bristol, an excellent day for ducks!
May
• An excellent celebration of our Charter was held at Slimbridge Wild Fowl Park
• President Tim is invited to address the District 7820 Conference in Canada about setting up an eClub, they are on thier way now.
• Debbie organizes members to sell plastic ducks for the Rotary Club of Swindon Old Town’s famous Duck Race, we sell 500 Ducks.
June
• We hold our first eClub Assembly where we lay out our plans for the Rotary Year 2012/13
July
• Shelley organizes our visit to Gloucester City Farm in Tredworth, so we can understand more about the Duck Pond Project, a great picnic was had and we enjoyed meeting the children who love this special place.
August
• Another informal meeting is held in Gloucester, Tim and Janice decide to go on a sponsored diet to raise funds for the Duck Pond. We induct three new members, Lynne, Yvonne and Mike.
• eClub helps the Rotary Club of Royal Wootton Bassett and District with their Car Boot Sale, Tim suggests they ride on their bikes to the event, ‘its not too far’ was Tim’s famous words only to nearly kill them in the process!!
September
• Dave organizes an excellent visit to the Stroud Canal, involving a talk, tour of the new building works and followed by a bar meal.
• Mary and Katharine organize a visit to the National Trust Croome Court in Worcester, an interested tour around the house which is being restored.
October
• Debbie and Yzanne organise the filling of 50 Shoe Boxes for Christmas.
November
• Members of the eClub form a team to take part in the Rotary Club of Royal Wootton Basset and District Call My Bluff Wine Tasting, a great evening was had by all.
• Our eClub Quizzers took part in the District Quiz to come third.
December
• Working with the Makin’ MuZic Choir, the eClub dressed festively to collect for Zurich Cares and End Polio Now at the Swindon Outlet Shopping Centre,
• Kevin organizes his first face space party, so members can enjoy each others company, whilst learning more about Social Networking.
• eClub members help the Rotary Club of Swindon Thamesdown with their Christmas Street Collection, well done to Ola who whizzed back from Heathrow Airport to take part. We all really enjoyed seeing the delight of the children as Santa visited their road….
Achievements during 2012
• Collecting second hand books for the Croome Court Book Shop to help with the restoration.
• Purchase of our 1st Shelter Box and still collecting old mobile phones to help purchase our second one.
• Filled 50 Shoe Boxes for Christmas.
• Helped get the Uplands Charity and Coffee Shop up and running, by supplying some equipment.
• Raised funds for End Polio Now.
• Involvement in Group Study Exchange and Ambassador Scholars.
• Visits to places for fun and fellowship
• Supported traditional Rotary Clubs with some of their projects e.g. Averbury Rocks, Car Boot Sale, Christmas Street Collections, Charity Ball.
• Collected loads of Baby Clothes to be given to Romanian orphanages.
• Helping RIBI and other Districts launch E-Rotary.
NEWS FLASH – Tim and Janice have reached their target of loosing 4 stone on their diet, now they can collect the sponsorship after Christmas and we can get on with the Duck Pond development.
Still to come in 2013:
January – 12th, our post Christmas Party at Jimmy’s in Bath
February – the launch of our virtual balloon race for Heart Month (British Heart Foundation)
March – 16th, Lorna and Yvonne are organizing an Autism Awareness Day
Plus lots more, as our Rotary eClub continues to give Service above Self
Myself and Janice have really enjoyed belonging to our eClub, we’ve particularly enjoyed meeting our members and making so many new friends. As President I thank everyone for your efforts during the year, what we have achieved for our young eClub is tremendous and it could not have been without us all working as a team. We wish you all a Merry Christmas and look forward to our work together in 2013.
I cannot really believe you have achieved so much in your first year.It is a tremendous start and really shows,more traditional clubs, what can be done.
I concur with those who say that there must be a 2 way relationship between established Rotary and eclubs.One way is to go to Zone Meetings and meet your local colleagues. There is another round of these in January.
Mine in Zone 7 will be held at the Queens Hotel in Cheltennham at 6.45p.m with a buffet for £10. The District topics are Membership drive and PR. But,the other 8 Clubs
will be updating the meeting on their plans ahead. It would be great to have an input from the eclub. I appreciate it may be a bit far to come for those in the southern part of our region – but somebody from Gloucs or Worcs would be very welcome.
Or come along to the District Council Meeting also in Cheltenham on Wednesday 16th January.
So continued success in 2013. And I hope you have an enjoyable and festive end to 2012.
best wishes
Richard
AG ZONE 7 and the District eclub
Tim and Janice have met their challenges for 2012 to set up an innovative Rotary eclub despite all the scepticism. Tim is always so positive and cheerful, a true rotarian. Thanks Tim for being such a super President, you are an inspiration to us all. It’s great to look back on the year and see what we have achieved in such a short time space.
Dear Tim & Janice,
Thank you for your card and info in the post. Besides Xmas and end of year deadlines I am busy organising my 60th birthday party in Worcester on the 12th Jan!! Sorry not to make the do in Bath but Sat lunch will often suit fingers crossed for the next one hopefully in glorious warm sunshine. 2012 has been a strange year even getting my head around Rotary jargon. I have a difficult decision about my health as lithium which has kept me stable for years is slowly poisoning my kidneys. Do I try life without any medication or risk side effects with another medication? Anyway all will be well I am sure, whatever I decide. Hows that for positive thinking despite the chaos all around.
Best wishes & Seasons Greetings to you both and all other e club members.
Mary
It has been wonderful having you as a member of our eClub Mary, your questions about Rotary have helped bring greater understanding to others. We hope you have a really great 60th Birthday on the 12th Jan and we will be thinking of you on that day. Our next informal get together we will have up your way, a visit to Worcester would be a really good venue. Perhaps you’d be prepared to organise where we might visit.
Polly and I will come up with a good place to meet. We will put our heads together.
Isn’t it wonderful to see everything written in that list to show how much has happened and how much has been achieved this year.
I think it’s easy to lose sight of whatis going on within the eclub and forget what a difference we are all making.
Well done Team Eclub! Great work – looking forward to more of the same in 2013!
I really cannot believe we have achieved so much in our 1st year but with all the support of our members it shows whatever we set our minds and efforts to we can reach our goals and help others reach theirs with our help. ROTARY AROUND THE WORLD says it all. Looking forward to making a difference in 2013. What a great Team…
Tim: excellent to read all this and on loosing the weight. Sorry only replying now; had a very bad cold over Christmas and still struggling with it. Must be nearly 4 weeks. Speak soon 🙂
What a fabulous set of achievements through 2012 ~ wishing everyone well for 2013