The Rotary Club of Sebastopol Sunrise

"Service Above Self"

Rotary Club of Sebastopol Sunrise Name Badge

Message from President Kathy

Who are we? We are the Rotary Club of Sebastopol Sunrise.

What is Rotary all about? It’s about friendship, giving back to the community, fun and entertainment, business development, and personal growth.

Come visit our club. We meet Wednesday mornings at 7:15 in the Masonic Hall. The address is Masonic Hall, 373 North Main Street, Sebastopol, CA. That is just across the street from Safeway.

Our meeting fee is $20 which includes breakfast.

president@sebsunriserotary.org

2023-24 Rotary International President
Gordon R. McInally of Scotland

Gordon R. McInally, a member of the Rotary Club of South Queensferry, Lothian, Scotland, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International for 2023-24.

Gordon R. McInally, a member of the Rotary Club of South Queensferry, Lothian, Scotland, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International for 2023-24. He will be declared the president-nominee on 1 October if no challenging candidates have been suggested.

McInally lauded Rotary’s ability to adapt technologically during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying the approach should continue and be combined with the best of our past practices as Rotary seeks to grow and increase engagement.

“We have learned there is a willingness within communities to care for one another,” he says, “and we must ensure that we encourage people who have recently embraced the concept of volunteering to join us to allow them to continue giving service.”

McInally says that senior leaders’ ability to communicate directly with club members online will be one positive legacy of the changes Rotary has had to make. But, he adds, “face-to-face meetings remain important, as they encourage greater interaction.”

The best way to increase membership is engagement, according to McInally. To better support clubs, he says, Rotary International, regional leaders, and district teams all need to engage with them. Engagement through social media will reinforce Rotary’s brand and showcase the opportunities that come with it. And, he says, engagement with governments, corporations, and other organizations will lead to meaningful partnerships.

With better engagement, McInally says, “We will grow Rotary both by way of membership and in our ability to provide meaningful service.”

He adds, “Membership is the lifeblood of our organization. I would encourage the use of the flexibility now available to establish new-style clubs that would appeal to a different demographic.”

McInally, a graduate of dental surgery at the University of Dundee, owned and operated his own dental practice in Edinburgh. He was the chair of the East of Scotland branch of the British Paedodontic Society and has held various academic positions. He has also served as a Presbytery elder, chair of Queensferry Parish Congregational Board, and commissioner to the church’s general assembly.

A Rotary member since 1984, McInally has been president and vice president of Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland. He has also served Rotary International as a director and as member or chair of several committees. He is currently an adviser to the 2022 Houston Convention Committee and chair of the Operations Review Committee.

McInally and his wife, Heather, are Major Donors and Benefactors of The Rotary Foundation. They are also members of the Bequest Society.

Gordon McInally’s Vision Statement:

My vision is to see Rotary continue to change and reflect the times, especially at this pivotal moment as we move out of the current global pandemic. The opportunities with which we have been presented recently will shape the direction we take over several years, and I would relish the chance to lead during that period. Rotary International must remember that it exists primarily to support its clubs and so, delivering our strategic priorities and objectives, thus strengthening clubs must be at the forefront of our minds. Membership is the lifeblood of our organization. I would encourage the use of the flexibility now available to establish new style clubs that would appeal to a different demographic. I would also seek to implement Best Practice in the area of Retention, especially Mentoring; this would help keep many of those members presently lost to us relatively soon after joining. I would remain focused on truly diversifying both our membership and our leadership. As we complete the eradication of Polio, we must share our experiences to benefit the global community in its response to future pandemics. I see “Sustaining the Environment” as an Area of Focus that will appeal to many younger people and we must leverage this to provide a membership dividend. I would also promote the importance of “Peace”, which is much more than the absence of conflict. Respect is one of the cornerstones of Rotary and I would like to ensure that we show due respect to all throughout our organization. If elected, I would build on the progress made by recent Presidents to strengthen the concept of continuity within the organization, promoting that concept to Districts and Clubs, thus ensuring that Rotary continues to serve in the most relevant and efficient manner possible.