President's Corner
News from the Club President
Fellow Rotarians,
This is the 18th and
final president's
column I've written,
and it is proving to be
the most difficult.
During the 2020-21
year, Vicki Wilson and
I shared the
presidency, and we
alternated writing the
columns for that first year. I think that made the
columns much easier for both of us to write, and we
often shared ideas on the month's topics.
On one hand, I'd like to look back over the past
two years and come to some sort of important
conclusions. Yet I'd also like to keep the focus on the
future and ways that we can continue to keep the
club relevant, active, and attractive to new members.
Perhaps the easiest way to look back at the last
year is to simply ask, "How much good have we
done?" I think there are a number of areas in which
we have fulfilled the Rotary motto of Service Above
Self: mask donations to the SVMC Foundation and
the Rescue Squad, continuing to support BROC
through bell ringing, donating bingo prizes to the
Veterans Home, supporting Head Start's Feeding
Families Initiative, volunteering at the Bennington
Community Gardens, and working with the VFW to
provide care packages for deployed troops.
And let's not forget gleaning apples for the food
bank, helping at the YMCA's Healthy Kids Day,
having a booth at the VFW's community day,
participating in the Battle Day Parade, and
celebrating Independence Day with the ringing of the
USS Bennington bell.
Internally, we have maintained steady
membership levels, attracted a wide array of
interesting speakers, and strengthened our social
media presence on both Facebook and Instagram.
We've successfully transitioned to a new meeting
venue and found some great new food options. And
of course, there's the excellently edited newsletter
you're holding.
And financially we have done fairly well,
although we did need to dip into our savings
somewhat in order to offset our limited fundraising
opportunities, all while continuing to support our
scholarship recipients.
Remarkably, we have been able to do this while
remaining a "politics free zone" during the greatest
internal turmoil that our nation has faced in at least
50 years. As an aside, I believe this has been the
keystone to our ability to get all of the above
accomplished.
Yet there are also some areas in which we have
fallen short, and as the president I realize that it was
my responsibility to have made them happen. We
have not supported the Interact Club in any
meaningful way this year, our suitcase projects have
been sporadic, the new member project never got
off the ground, and we still face challenges in
attracting busy professionals under 50 to our
organization.
The good news is that all of these problems can
be solved by greater collaboration both within the
club and with outside organizations.
The best news is that Michael Day will be the
president for the coming year, and he brings a more
in-depth knowledge of the club's operations than any
other member has, as well as a long-standing
commitment to Rotary ideals.
Overall, thank you for entrusting we with the
leadership of the Bennington Rotary Club for the
past year. I have greatly appreciated the opportunity
to work with all of you on our projects, and to help
continue the club's fine tradition of service as it
enters its 71st year.
Yours in Service,
Dana Rozycki
(Past) Club President
News from the Club President
Fellow Rotarians,
This is the 18th and
final president's
column I've written,
and it is proving to be
the most difficult.
During the 2020-21
year, Vicki Wilson and
I shared the
presidency, and we
alternated writing the
columns for that first year. I think that made the
columns much easier for both of us to write, and we
often shared ideas on the month's topics.
On one hand, I'd like to look back over the past
two years and come to some sort of important
conclusions. Yet I'd also like to keep the focus on the
future and ways that we can continue to keep the
club relevant, active, and attractive to new members.
Perhaps the easiest way to look back at the last
year is to simply ask, "How much good have we
done?" I think there are a number of areas in which
we have fulfilled the Rotary motto of Service Above
Self: mask donations to the SVMC Foundation and
the Rescue Squad, continuing to support BROC
through bell ringing, donating bingo prizes to the
Veterans Home, supporting Head Start's Feeding
Families Initiative, volunteering at the Bennington
Community Gardens, and working with the VFW to
provide care packages for deployed troops.
And let's not forget gleaning apples for the food
bank, helping at the YMCA's Healthy Kids Day,
having a booth at the VFW's community day,
participating in the Battle Day Parade, and
celebrating Independence Day with the ringing of the
USS Bennington bell.
Internally, we have maintained steady
membership levels, attracted a wide array of
interesting speakers, and strengthened our social
media presence on both Facebook and Instagram.
We've successfully transitioned to a new meeting
venue and found some great new food options. And
of course, there's the excellently edited newsletter
you're holding.
And financially we have done fairly well,
although we did need to dip into our savings
somewhat in order to offset our limited fundraising
opportunities, all while continuing to support our
scholarship recipients.
Remarkably, we have been able to do this while
remaining a "politics free zone" during the greatest
internal turmoil that our nation has faced in at least
50 years. As an aside, I believe this has been the
keystone to our ability to get all of the above
accomplished.
Yet there are also some areas in which we have
fallen short, and as the president I realize that it was
my responsibility to have made them happen. We
have not supported the Interact Club in any
meaningful way this year, our suitcase projects have
been sporadic, the new member project never got
off the ground, and we still face challenges in
attracting busy professionals under 50 to our
organization.
The good news is that all of these problems can
be solved by greater collaboration both within the
club and with outside organizations.
The best news is that Michael Day will be the
president for the coming year, and he brings a more
in-depth knowledge of the club's operations than any
other member has, as well as a long-standing
commitment to Rotary ideals.
Overall, thank you for entrusting we with the
leadership of the Bennington Rotary Club for the
past year. I have greatly appreciated the opportunity
to work with all of you on our projects, and to help
continue the club's fine tradition of service as it
enters its 71st year.
Yours in Service,
Dana Rozycki
(Past) Club President