Ada Sunrise Rotary welcomed three new members, Chase Roberson, Johnna James, and Kody Stewart, with a potluck orientation on April 29th. Club leaders gathered to share a meal, make introductions, and give the newest Rotarians a real look at how the club works.
On the evening of April 29th, Ada Sunrise Rotary held a new member orientation for Chase Roberson, Johnna James, and Kody Stewart, a casual potluck gathering at the home of Kevin, Chase, and Ty.
The evening was intentionally low-key. Before anything official got underway, everyone grabbed a plate and had time to mingle. The food was good, the conversation was easy, and it gave new and existing members a chance to get comfortable with each other before the more structured part of the night.
Once the group circled up for the icebreaker, each person shared their name, something about themselves, and what drew them to Rotary. It was a good reminder that the people in this club come from different backgrounds and found their way here for different reasons, but there's a lot of common ground when it comes to wanting to do something useful in the community.
From there, Membership Chair Mason Martinez walked the group through who Rotary is, from Rotary International and District 5770 down to what ASR specifically does here in Ada. The group read the Four-Way Test aloud together, which is always worth pausing on. The club's major projects got some attention too: the Fireball Classic, which brought in 585+ participants and raised over $22,000 for Back to School Basics last year, along with the pecan sales, dictionary project, and other ongoing efforts.
Officers and committee chairs each gave a brief introduction. Attendees included President Christen Smith, Treasurer Paul Crocker, Secretary Christine Pappas, Executive Secretary Shirley Mixon, Membership Chair and President-Elect Nominee Mason Martinez.
The group also covered what to expect at a Friday meeting, the 6:45 a.m. start at the Aldridge Ballroom, the Friday Song, Words of Wisdom, Bell Ringer, and the weekly program, along with attendance expectations and the Facebook Live option for weeks when in-person isn't possible.
On the financial side, dues run $20/month, $60/quarter, or $240/year. Members were also encouraged to consider giving at least $100/year to the Annual Fund and $100/year to Polio Plus. Those contributions aren't just good Rotary citizenship, Annual Fund giving is what keeps ASR qualified to apply for District Grants, which is how the club is able to take on larger service projects than club funds alone could support. The Paul Harris Fellow milestone ($1,000 in cumulative giving) was mentioned as something to work toward over time.
The evening wrapped up with an open floor for questions and a straightforward close: we're glad you're here, service above self, see you Friday.
Welcome to Ada Sunrise Rotary, Chase, Johnna, and Kody!
