Our District 7230 Training Conference 2023 ended successfully on Saturday 4 November at Sarah Lawrence College. 79 Rotarians from many Clubs participated in the day-long Training featuring focused sessions for Club Presidents, Secretaries, and Treasurers as well as special sessions on Public Image and Fundraising. The afternoon session after a free boxed lunch, featured a session on DEI and membership.
Opening the Training Conference, District Trainer Eric Storberg thanked those attending. In brief introductory remarks, District Governor Rev. Dr. J. Loren Russell said the purpose of the Training is to equip our Club Officers with the necessary tools and develop their expertise to make our clubs vibrant, growing, and service-oriented clubs. He said the learning experience will help clubs become more proactive, engaged, and involved and to get others likewise so that all our clubs are similarly engaged. He said District officials are always on call to provide any assistance needed.
The Club Officer breakout sessions were geared toward new as well as experienced officers providing specifics that each officer should know and take responsibility for. For example, Presidents were provided with tips on how to run meetings and set goals, Secretaries were given tips on maintaining club records and adding/removing members. Treasurers were given information on filing tax returns and providing quarterly financial reports to the Board and the members. They were also briefed on the necessity of periodic audits.
The well-attended session on Public Image was presented by Zone 32 Assistant Rotary Public Image Coordinator and District 7230 Public Image Chair PDG Mahbub and featured three Clubs that have used Public Image resources for their Projects. PE Serkan of the 100-year-old Scarsdale Club highlighted one of the projects in Africa and emphasized the need to preserve the historical archives of Club projects so that future club officers and members could know more about what their club has achieved. Highlighting their first project, the 10-month-old Smart Rotaract Club President Dr. Rummanu Yeasin presented their recent CPR Training and Blood Drive project. She focused on what they did and the lessons learned. Finally, the Larchmont Club presented its program for underprivileged children.
Just before lunch, a brief information session on Rotary's alliance with Toastmasters was provided by Alan Gray of the Yonkers-East Yonkers Club, who is also in charge of the District-wide Speech Contest to be held in the Spring. The group was warmly welcomed by the President of the Sarah Lawrence College Cristle Collins Judd. She said the College was happy to provide the venue for the Training Conference free of charge. Thanking the College President, DG Loren said because of the gesture by the college the District was able to provide lunch for all attendees and not charge for attendance.
In the afternoon session on DEI, Committee chairs Cynthia Paulino and Christina Wellington presented the state of DEI actions in the District. They provided possible actions that can be taken by Clubs to improve DEI within their Clubs.
At the final session of the day on Membership, Sunshine Club President and Area Governor Bina Ahmad discussed the history of the new Clubs in our District. She asked members of the 10 new Clubs present to stand and be recognized. A near majority of attendees were from these 10 Clubs. AG Bina proceeded to show the structure of our Organization from the Club level to RI saying the foundation of RI is our members and as such it is important not only to bring in new members but also to nurture and maintain the interests of existing members. Area Governor Abit Ragbeer spoke about the elevation of Rotaract into Rotary, while District Membership Chair Hugh Maynard-Reid concluded the afternoon by urging members to go out and talk to their friends, relatives, acquaintances, and neighbors to join Rotary and help grow our membership.
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