Rotary District 5790 Governor Kayla Christianson presented LNR club member Spud Newton with his Paul Harris +6 ruby pin. (Click photo for full-size image.) District 5790 Governor Kayla Christianson shared Rotary International's new vision to promote the organization's growth at last week's meeting, and challenged all Rotarians to help boost the membership for their local club. The owner and CEO of IN-Focus Digital, a creative advertising agency, and past president of Abilene Rotary Club, Christianson originally moved from Virginia to Texas to attend Abilene Christian University. She earned both her bachelor's and master's degree at ACU, where she also met David, her husband of 21 years and business partner.
Christianson has been heavily involved in Rotary International for most of her professional career, and said it is "the best kept secret in the world—and that’s not a good thing." The perception that Rotary is "an old white guy’s club" and long-standing rules, such as mandatory attendance for members, have been a hindrance to attracting younger members in their 20s, 30s and 40s, and keeping clubs vibrant, she noted. But “Rotary is changing,” Christiansen said. “Instead of perfect attendance, Rotary International wants perfect engagement.” The global organization still emphasizes the benefits of regular meeting attendance, but they are placing more emphasis on community service projects. Many of those projects are also family friendly, to attract future generations of Rotarians, she said. As a result of some of the new initiatives, there are now 1.4 million Rotarians globally, up from 1.2 million pre-Covid, Christianson noted. District 5790 is also up 108 members since Christianson took over as governor earlier this year. She encouraged members of the Lewisville Noon Rotary to each do their part to ensure the club's growth and longevity by inviting someone to the weekly lunch, so they can learn about Rotary International. For more information about current membership requirements or to request a membership application, please contact Membership Chair Terry Russell at terrybrussell2004@yahoo.com. |