Chad Haverkamp -- Quarterly Report

          Help Wanted: After the Aug. 21 luncheon, Sandy Fink, the club’s lead coordinator with Holmes Elementary School, needs several members to sort school supplies.  Thanks to a 20-30 percent discount by Staples, the generous supply of assorted items is ready for staging.  This annual short work task helps needy students who lack basic school items.  A number of families who locate in the West Central area have little or none of the essential items for school.  Sandy said the supplies have been delivered and if several club members can help Monday the work should be finished quickly.  Holmes is at 2600 W. Sharp.

 

       

   Several important questions loom for the future of Spokane-North members in the next few months. 

          At the Aug. 14 luncheon meeting -- the six-week mark in the 2017-18 Rotary year -- President Chad Haverkamp led the discussion to help start deciding pending issues.  About two-thirds of the 27 members attended the session.

          Among the key questions:

 

                    How do the board and members resolve an expected fiscal year operating deficit of $3,500 or more?

 

                    How can the club protect project funds?

 

                    Should any or some of the $30,000 of club savings be used this year for operations, projects, membership recruitment or other needs?

 

                    How can we help membership chair Brad Stark and all other members recruit new people to bolster our rolls?  How do we get better recruiting membership through social media?

 

                    Where do we meet if, as expected, The Lincoln Center will not be available after December?  And do we continue with quarterly pre-arranged meal billing, or do we allow members the option of single-meal tickets?

 

                    Who will step up to join the board as the next president-elect?

 

                    Finally, as our club’s number has declined, do we want to think about merging with another club in the area? Some 25 years ago, Spokane-North had about 90 members, but then just one member per

                                                            “category” was allowed in each Rotary club and times when many companies strongly suggested – and paid much of the cost – of joining service organizations.

 

          Chad thanked Treasurer Lenore Romney for putting the detailed expense presentations.

 

          And, for perspective, Sandy Fink, also a past president, provided a compilation of years of club projects and project expenses dating from 1999-2000 to 2011-12.

 

          The list includes 31 community projects, four collaborative projects with other area clubs (including the Rotary Fountain and Andrew Rypien Field), five major “dirty hands” projects and 15 Rotary International and club international projects.

 

          Showing a pie chart of project expenses, Chad said about 45 percent of the total went to various Holmes projects, with scholarships the next biggest item last year.

 

          Chad noted that expenses increase, often annually, for Rotary International and for District 5080, which can cut into expenses if membership stays at about 27 members.

 

           He said, “We are starting the discussion in Quarter One so we can start acting in Quarter Two.”

 

           Chad asked other members to share ideas to present to District 5080 Gov. Jerri Anderson, of Sandpoint, when she visits at the Oct. 2 luncheon.  District Gov.-elect Bev Reed, of Spokane Aurora Northwest, will succeed Anderson in the next

fiscal year. 

 

           Staying positive, Chad said, “We do astounding work for a small club. We are small, but very mighty.”