25.07 New Year Goals & Plans

Dear Rotarians and Friends,

As we begin the 2025–26 Rotary year, I am honored to serve as your Club President and to work alongside each of you to make a meaningful difference in our community and beyond. At today’s meeting, we will review our priorities, commitments, and resources. While a few details remain in progress, I am excited to share some highlights of our initial club goals for the year ahead. We’ll discuss the complete plan at today’s meeting.

Grow Our Membership

Goal: Grow our membership to 40 members, sponsoring 19 new members, with a focus on welcoming younger professionals and community leaders.
Plan: Form a Membership Committee of at least 3 members who will take membership training by August. Host at least 4 membership drives at summer concerts and participate in a community volunteer fair. Update outreach materials like business cards and info cards focusing on benefits for younger professionals and what makes Rotary unique (professional networking & development, international presence & travel, youth exchange, Rotary action groups, etc.). Develop member referral incentives and ways to make meetings more accessible (e.g. Zoom, evening socials with food and/or drink and/or sports, etc.).

Enhance Service Impact

Goal: Complete at least four hands-on service projects (Treehouse/Memorial Garden cleanup events, Meals of Hope, Project Greenhouse, Purple Pinky) benefiting Los Alamos and neighboring communities, and partner with another club on at least one international service project (Peace Pole).
Plan: Form a Service Committee of at least 3 members who will take service training by August, and partner with local nonprofits and schools to identify projects that align with Rotary’s areas of focus. Attend Rotary conferences to identify partner clubs.

Support Rotary

Goal: Achieve Every Rotarian Every Year (EREY) participation, with an average member contribution of $100.
Plan: Form a Foundation Committee of at least 3 members who will take foundation training by August, track member contributions through Rotary Central, create a monthly giving spotlight, and recognize members’ contributions through our newsletter and club website. Have 1312 support the activities of the club.

Youth And Vocational Engagement

Goal: Support the LAHS Interact Club, establish a Rotaract Club, provide at least nine scholarships to high school students, support at least two exchange students and two RYLA students.
Plan: Form a Youth Committee of at least 3 members who will take youth training by August, engage with LAHS and UNM-LA staff to build relationships and identify applicants. Hand over Memorial Garden responsibilities to Interact.

Public Image and Awareness

Goal: Produce a club video, at least 2 local news media features, and at least 12 social media features over the year.
Plan: Form a Public Image Committee of at least 3 members who will take public image training by August, schedule interviews with local and regional media outlets and Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce, ensure website and social media accounts are maintained, and gather photos and videos of club activities and members.

Club Vibrancy and Fellowship

Goal: Host at least four social events, End of Year dinner, and Winter Party.
Plan: Survey members about preferred activities and schedule them quarterly.

I want to be clear: I can’t do this alone. Achieving these goals will take all of us working together with the same spirit of service that has defined this club for decades. You can help by inviting guests to our meetings and events and sharing Rotary’s mission with colleagues, neighbors, and friends who might be inspired to join us. If you have ideas for service projects that are close to your heart or see unmet needs in our community, please bring them forward. I also encourage you to consider stepping up as a committee chair, project lead, or volunteer for an event. Your voice, vision, and leadership makes a difference. Finally, one of the most powerful things you can do is help tell our story by sharing our club’s activities, accomplishments, and impact through conversations, social media, and your personal communities.

Let’s make this a year of meaningful action and fellowship, and I am grateful to have each of you by my side. Thank you for all you do to keep Rotary strong in Los Alamos.

Yours in Rotary,

James Wernicke, Club President

Pancakes On The Plaza This Friday

Don’t forget about Pancakes On The Plaza this Friday, July 4th starting at 8:00 AM. Tickets are $12 or 4 for $40.

End Of Year Party Jul 15

See you all at SALA Event Center July 15th! BYOD social hour starts at 5:35. Dinner starts at 6:30. Instead of a fully catered event this year, we’d like each member to bring an interesting side or dessert dish, and the club will provide the main course – probably enchiladas or something – and refreshments. Please RSVP with any dietary restrictions to rsvp@rotarylosalamos.org by July 5th so we can order enough food. And if you have any Rotary photos for the slideshow, you can include those in your RSVP email.