Message from our President
Hello Rotary Family,
I am Ruby Rivera, our new Rotary President for the 2022-2023 year. I am so proud to represent our club and genuinely believe we have the best club in the Valley. I am a mother to 4 beautiful elementary and middle school children and my husband and I both work for Palm Springs Unified School District. We grew up in the Coachella Valley and believe in the importance of giving back to our community. Rotary has been a perfect fit for me and am thankful to Breanna Sewell for inviting me in 4 years ago.
We have had such an exciting start to our new rotary year and I couldn't be more proud of the excellent team we have.
All of our directors are busy planning events for the school year. What I love about our board of directors is that it is a combination of veteran rotarians and new board members which is going to produce a calendar year that showcases both experience and fresh ideas. They are the most hardworking team of volunteers I have ever met!
You don't have to be a board member to make a big difference. All rotary members can support our directors by doing the following: 1. Join a committee 2. Share your ideas, resources, and connections 3. volunteer your time on the day of their event 4. Celebrate and cheer them on!
I look forward to getting to know our members better this year. Please stop by a lunch meeting or Fireside so that can connect.
Thanks for all you do!
Ruby Rivera, DHS Rotary President
Meetings Every Thursday!
Thank you to the our guest speakers in July & August!
July - Transition Month
7 Chuck "Cheez" Weisbart, Idylwild Rotarian, District Leadership & Membership team
14 - Rotary Education Meeting - Brian Brodowsky, District Assistant Governor
21 - Annie Axsom, PSUSD LGBTQ Alliance
28 - DHS Police Chief Henson
August - Membership & Extension
4 - Omar Tinoco, DHSHS Principal
11 - Rotary Education Meeting - Rotary 101/Membership Goals : Alan, Membership Activity
18 -T re Terry, Former Interact Student, Rotarian
25 - Scott Matas, Desert Hot Springs Mayor
Is That All There Is? Alan Ochsenbein, Membership Director
During the pandemic many clubs in the District not only lost members, but some simply did not operate. Desert Hot Springs Rotary with some creative leadership and dedicated members came out of the pandemic with approximately 60 members, and our Club increased in size from pre-pandemic numbers. We recently added 5 new members and have five or six solid perspective members for the next few months. Our total stands at 68 members, 65 active, and three honorary members. But “is that all there is?” This is from a song sang by Peggy Lee in 1969 and has been reproduced by several more modern-day artists.
Shortly after becoming a Board Member, I attended a training seminar for new members. Figuring it would be boring, my expectations going into the zoom meeting were low, but was very pleasantly surprised at the end of the hour. I learned that Clubs should measure the following to determine where focus was needed. I picked a few to see how we measure up.
#1 Does your Club reflect the Community that it serves, is it a mirror image of the city where it is located?
D.H.S. Rotary has 65 active members, membership consists of professionals, para-professionals, blue collar, white collar workers, veterans, non-profit managers, and retirees. D.H.S. has a population of Hispanic, African American, LGBTQI, Native American and other nationalities. Fortunately, we are well represented by all. Our BOD consists of 6 women and 6 men voting and non-voting members of the various population groups.
#2 Does your club have engaging guest speakers?
D.H.S. has always been able to get sometimes fun, entertaining, educational speakers. Our Immediate Past President has set up a guest listing in the District. When our current President took over, she chose someone to put together a program for the entire year, and set-aside one meeting a month for purely Club activities, club speakers and induction of new members.
#3 Is your club aging, and do you have a way to attract younger members?
Again, the B.O.D. recently enacted a program where young people (like Interactors who are recent graduates) can join the Club and become active participants continuing their pathway from school into their post-graduation Rotary participation. The major drawback was the cost of the dues. Our club now has a program to offer scholarships for membership accompanied by an agreement to become active in Club activities. 23% our club membership is now below the age of 45, and one former Interactor is sitting on our B.O.D. as a non-voting member at the age of 20.
#4 Passion=engagement, are your Club members passionate about Club events and activities?
Enthusicastically, a big “yes”. Some of our perspective members have signed up for Club events and activities even before they have been inducted as members.
Our Club can be proud of its membership, and the great programs that they produce, but those programs will be covered by other B.O.D. members in the future.
From Jackie Chatman, Community Service Chair
A sign up link will be coming soon.
Live Scan Reminder
September is Basic Education and Literacy Month
Desert Hot Springs Rotary Club
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DesertHotSpringsRotaryClub
