100th RI Convention in Birmingham, England
Posted by Jim Burness
Wow. That was a word Sue and I used frequently on our trip to the 100th Rotary International Convention in Birmingham England. We met so many unbelievable people doing great things from all over the world. It started first thing in the morning at our hotel, meeting people who were leaving for the Convention Center. It continued as we took the train, meeting Rotarians and their families, some attending their 25th convention.
The "Wow's" continued as we entered the Hall of Friendship" , where Rotarians, passionate about their service projects, had booths to educate others about their missions. We then attended breakout sessions, learning ideas on how to run a club more effectively, membership challenges, communications, and the Polio Plus campaign, just to name a few.
The "Wow's" continued as we entered the Hall of Friendship" , where Rotarians, passionate about their service projects, had booths to educate others about their missions. We then attended breakout sessions, learning ideas on how to run a club more effectively, membership challenges, communications, and the Polio Plus campaign, just to name a few.
It is really hard to pick a highlight, be if we had to, both Sue and I
would agree it was the Host Hospitality night. This is where a local
Rotary club act as hosts for visiting Rotarians. We were fortunate to
be hosted by a small club of 30 members from Staffordshire, an area about one
hour north of Birmingham. Our group consisted of Rotarians
representing two clubs from France as well as on other from England. We
were first treated to a "royal" tour of historic English homes and estates, some with
histories going back more than 500 years. The setting was the English
countryside, far from the hustle and activity of Birmingham. Good thing
for digital cameras, because we never would have had enough film.
The evening ended at a small restaurant/pub, where the club held its weekly dinner meetings. The menu - traditional Sunday feast of roast beef, gravy, potatoes, and Yorkshire pudding. The evening was full of great fellowship with the members and their spouses, and closed with an exchange of club banners. Truly a remarkable experience, and one that Sue and I will cherish forever. Be sure to view the RI Convention photo journal on the Website. We will be adding more photos to the site.
The evening ended at a small restaurant/pub, where the club held its weekly dinner meetings. The menu - traditional Sunday feast of roast beef, gravy, potatoes, and Yorkshire pudding. The evening was full of great fellowship with the members and their spouses, and closed with an exchange of club banners. Truly a remarkable experience, and one that Sue and I will cherish forever. Be sure to view the RI Convention photo journal on the Website. We will be adding more photos to the site.