December 27, 2024 • 36 mins
Discover how a chance encounter at a Rotary meeting changed Andre Boyd's life forever. Our special guest from District 6940 reveals the unexpected journey that began with a simple marketing project for "Grills Gone Wild" and led to a deep commitment to service and community impact. Andre's story underscores the transformative power of showcasing Rotary's contributions and highlights the strategy of inviting potential members to meaningful events before formal meetings. His experience serves as a testament to the importance of active member engagement and retention, illustrating how involvement in impactful projects can foster lasting connections.
As Rotary clubs evolve, they are embracing transparency and flexibility to attract and engage new members. We discuss how clubs are shedding traditional secrecy to highlight the vibrant community projects they champion, from building playgrounds to establishing military welcome centers. Innovative structures like satellite clubs are emerging, allowing for diverse schedules and interests. By sharing inspiring stories of the Rotary Foundation's efficiency and community impact, we aim to attract passionate individuals who want to make a difference. The conversation also delves into the personal touch required to keep members engaged and supported, ensuring a thriving Rotary community.
Rotary is not just evolving in structure but also in how it connects members globally. Technology and digital platforms are now integral to Rotary's mission, as highlighted by the Rotary Spark podcast's role in bridging communication gaps. The pandemic has catalyzed a shift towards virtual interactions, paving the way for collaborative initiatives like dual fundraisers and virtual events with notable speakers. As we embrace these new avenues, the potential to attract a diverse demographic eager for service and impact is limitless. With heartfelt gratitude, we extend holiday wishes and excitement for what the new year holds, looking forward to reconnecting with our listeners and continuing the journey together.
A non-profit committed to empowering other non-profits by enhancing their technology independence.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Brian Triger (00:25):
Welcome to the Rotary Spark Podcast.
I'm your host, brian Traeger,and with me today is Andre Boyd
from District 6940.
How are you doing today?
Andre Boyd (00:34):
Andre Brian doing very, very well.
Thank you so much.
Brian Triger (00:38):
You're welcome.
I appreciate having you here.
You're the first person on thispodcast coming from another
district, so I'm really excitedto have you and gain your
perspective on the world ofRotary.
Andre Boyd (00:50):
Well, I have to tell you, this is very, very
innovative, and I'm glad to seethat we have districts out there
that are really focused on thefuture and bringing the message
of Rotary in a podcast.
Brian Triger (01:03):
Yeah, no, I think that's really good feedback.
So, Andre, tell us a little bitabout your Rotary story.
Andre Boyd (01:08):
My Rotary story is very interesting.
I came through Rotary throughthe back door.
People always ask and I getthat look on Brian's face going
back door.
What does that mean?
Well, my background ismarketing.
I worked at several TV stationsand radio stations in my career
and I was working at a TVstation in Panama City, florida,
(01:32):
and a friend of mine came to meand said hey, we have an event
that's coming up and that weneed some help marketing it.
We have an event that's comingup and that we need some help
marketing it, and so would I beable to help?
I said, sure, no problem.
I mean, I put spots together,run them on TV.
Brian Triger (01:55):
That's what I do.
Andre Boyd (01:56):
Well, the name of this event was Grills Gone Wild.
I know what you're thinking.
Well, living in Panama CityBeach, there was Girls Gone Wild
, which was a video back in the90s blah, blah, blah, nine yards
.
So they end up using the GrillsGone Wild as their barbecue
(02:19):
event.
So the tongue in cheek of thebarbecue event really, really
got me excited and seeing it.
So, anyway, I played, so weproduced a television spot.
Brian Triger (02:30):
We ran it nine yards.
Andre Boyd (02:32):
The event happened.
The event happened and then,finally, I got a call one day
from the young lady who asked meto put to put this on TV.
She said what are you doing thesecond week in December?
And that was 2012.
(02:53):
I said nothing, I'm available.
Well, she says well, I want youto come here.
She gave me the address, Brian,I walked in and I knew pretty
much everybody in the room andso, talking, you know, I got my
plate of food whole nine yardsand all of a sudden, a bell rang
, ding, all of a sudden, peoplestopped what they were doing.
(03:18):
They all stood up.
She said welcome to the RotaryClub of Panama City Beach.
I'm Eric Esbivey, your clubpresident.
This, that and the other.
And so they started off withthese different rituals.
Rituals meaning a pledge.
They did an invocation and thenthey recited four questions.
(03:38):
I'm like, okay, this is prettyinteresting and everybody knew
what those questions were, solet's speed ahead.
I'm there to watch checkpresentations happen.
They, the money they raised wasabout 20, $25,000.
Brian, they gave every pennyaway to local charities.
(04:00):
I was, wow, I'm thinking thisis awesome, Whole nine yards.
I'm thinking I said you gaveall that money away.
Why did you do that.
That makes no sense to me,Brian.
She goes well.
That's what Rotary's all about.
We're all about service aboveself.
We're all about giving back tothe community, Andre.
(04:27):
Since you really really had agood time, Andre, would you join
our club today?
So when I talk about thebackdoor, I got to see the
benefit of Rotary before I knewwhat Rotary was.
So February 2023, no, sorry,Rotary, February 2013,.
(04:48):
That's when I joined Rotary.
I remember that day all so well.
So when you ask me about mystory, I know it's long, but
that's how I became a Rotarianthat day.
Brian Triger (05:02):
That's awesome, I really like that a lot that day.
That's awesome, I really likedthat a lot.
Uh, my story is different.
So, um, but I'm creating somekind of parallel connections in
my head and I I reallyappreciate the fact that you
were able to just kind of absorbthe culture, uh, you know,
actually directly, uh, withoutinitially being part of the
(05:22):
meeting itself, like you were,but actually directly, without
initially being part of themeeting itself, Like you were.
But you weren't Like you were.
You're basically unaware thatyou were inside of a Rotary Club
until that announcement wasmade.
Andre Boyd (05:33):
But that's the way moving.
Now I'm the districtgovernor-elect for District 6940
, Northwest Florida.
Brian Triger (05:40):
Yeah.
Andre Boyd (05:41):
Given.
This is something that we talkabout all the time.
I said we got to show thebenefit of what we do and how we
do it.
First.
It's better to invite you,brian, to an event, to where we
are making an impact keyword,impact in our community first.
Then the pop in circumstances.
(06:04):
You come into the meeting, blah, blah, blah, nine yards.
Now, brian, you see the benefitof what Rotary is all about.
Too many times, you know, weinvite people to come to our
Rotary clubs.
In some cases I'm going to talkabout District 6940.
Majority of times you invitethem three times this, that and
the other and then you ask themthey want to join the club and
blah, blah, blah, nine yards.
Brian Triger (06:26):
Well, wait a minute.
Andre Boyd (06:27):
You know what?
What we found out?
That the typical Rotarian, ifwe don't retain them for at
least two to three years,they're going to leave us.
You know why?
Because we haven't engaged themenough.
So engage our members, our, ourprospective members.
First, get them to the event.
(06:49):
Let them see the impact of whatrotary is all about, whether
they're reading to children inthe library, whether they're
picking up trash because withpicking up trash, what do you do
?
Brian Triger (07:01):
you're making the community a little bit better.
Of course.
Yeah mean if you're not willingto spend and I think it goes
both ways If a member is notwilling to invest two to three
years, or if a group of peopleor people specifically within an
organization are not willing toinvest two to three years into
an individual's life, there's nomutual benefit.
(07:22):
I would say that, just like youknow I'm not a relationship
expert uh, proof's in thepudding I about um tied to the
amount of animals I have in myhome, but I do know about, you
know, honeymoon periods.
And if you can't withstand that,and in both directions, then
you know, maybe maybe it'seither the wrong fit or maybe
(07:45):
you you met the wrong peoplebecause you know not to knock
anyone specifically, but thereare personality differences.
There are people in Rotary thatif I met first I would have
never, I would have never joined.
And there are people that maybeif I met a little bit sooner,
uh, I'd potentially become, youknow, a little bit more engaged
a little bit faster.
And I think that as we get anopportunity to spend time with
(08:07):
Rotary, or really anyorganization for that matter, we
get to kind of understand thelandscape and get to know
different personalities and howthis is a larger moving puzzle
that has a lot of history to it.
Yes, so it takes a while, andif you're, if you're, if
someone's just going to joinRotary, and then you know there
is no engagement and they'regoing to sit by themselves for a
(08:28):
year or two years, three years.
Are they joining in the firstplace?
And, what you know, they'regoing to think to themselves hey
it's time to go.
Andre Boyd (08:36):
Well, that's something that we've realized in
a lot of our clubs in District6940 that we've got to continue
to.
You have to engage members.
It can't be a, it can't be twomonths from now, it can't be a
year from now.
Engagement starts very, veryquickly.
(08:57):
Specifically in my own RotaryClub back in Florida, Engagement
starts when, when theonboarding membership process is
being because we do anonboarding process and
everything.
Brian Triger (09:10):
Yeah.
Andre Boyd (09:10):
That when the member , when that prospective member,
sit there, we actually show thema video of our different events
and at that time the membershipchair will say okay, let's say,
Brian, use your example.
Okay, Brian, you solve thesefour events.
Brian, which event do you seeyourself?
(09:31):
Involved in today?
Why?
do we do that.
So the prospective member makesa decision to be service-minded
and to do something, because wehave to give them something to
do.
And so we've done this and ourretention rate in our club has
(09:54):
gotten better, because now thosemembers see the benefit of what
Rotary is all about.
We show them the impact by themparticipating in, whether it's
our military welcome center orjust any other.
Brian Triger (10:09):
Yeah, you're integrating the element of
choice instead of kind ofleaving it as a potential
mindless hive.
Essentially, You're gettingthem to engage and actually make
some decisions tied to whatthey're interested in so they
can inject a little bit of self,but also put service above self
by understanding that they needto stay somewhat stimulated so
(10:33):
they don't fall asleep.
Andre Boyd (10:35):
They have to come back once they've done their
volunteering for whatever event.
Guess what we do the followingweek.
Hey, brian, you went out to theMilitary Welcome Center at the
airport, brian, give the mic toBrian.
Hey, brian, tell us what youthought.
It was the best experience I'veever had blah, blah, blah, nine
(10:56):
yards and that I was able tointeract with folks and they got
to tell their military story tome.
That, right there, impacted mylife so much.
We talked about that word,impact.
Impact is a huge word thesedays.
You know, with StephanieUrchick, our Rotary
International President, that isa big word.
(11:18):
It's that impact, not outcome.
It's impact of what we do asRotarians.
We again, impact means whatthat, yeah, we can give.
We can give a thousand dollarsfor, for for books.
That's the outcome.
You know the impact A child canread and that children are
(11:40):
reading, because if they're notlearning how to read, trust me,
there's a whole nother systemthat's out there.
That's not good.
Brian Triger (11:51):
That's a really good point.
We've had several opportunitiesto chat, and we actually had an
opportunity to chat rightbefore this episode, so let's,
let's dive right in.
You wanted to talk about thefuture of Rotary, so let's talk
about the future of Rotary.
Where are we going?
Andre Boyd (12:12):
Brian, where we're going in Rotary right now is
that, of course, we're told toneed to grow membership, we need
to grow foundation giving, weneed to create new clubs and
everything like that.
Well, here's the thing.
We have to take care of thepeople in our house first.
We need to make sure ourmembers are strong, because it's
through our members that we'reable to grow Rotary.
(12:35):
Here's the thing.
We have a lot of clubs that arevery traditional and they're
there.
You know, paul Harris did agreat job in getting us together
and Honan Yards, our founder,but today we have to look at
innovative ways to grow ourbrand.
Grow our brand is veryimportant too, because back in
(12:55):
the day it was all about wherewe did everything in secret.
It was all secretive, meaningthat maybe the playground that's
outside right now thatRotarians got it built, we never
talked about that.
Those days are gone.
If we're going to grow Rotary,we've got to stop keeping things
(13:15):
a secret and tell people whatwe do, and tell people what we
do, because if you're sittingthere and your kids are at that
playground, it's okay to put asign up that said that this part
was built by the Rotary Club ofMid-West City.
It's okay.
We have to start looking atways to what Meet the needs and
(13:38):
the wants of our prospectivemembers first.
We've got to do that.
So what does that mean?
We have to focus on their timewe have to focus on.
Maybe it'll be financial andalso the biggest thing we have
to focus on their interest.
Rotary has given us the roadmapto where we can create new,
(14:01):
innovative clubs, what we callsatellite clubs.
You know, eight members, wholenine yards.
That's attached to the homeclub.
But it's okay, because here'sthe thing, that those folks may
have another, a whole, I don'twant to say agenda, but they
have a whole perspective onwhere they can take Rotary but
(14:23):
still keep the foundation solid.
Continue with the four-way test,five-way test in some clubs
that stays the same.
But here's the thing.
We're meeting their needs bywhat?
Creating a different time?
Well, if your club meets forbreakfast and they can meet in
the evening, fine If they, ifyou.
Well, if your club meets forbreakfast and they can meet in
the evening, fine.
(14:44):
If your club dues are forannual dues, I'm sorry.
Your quarterly dues, if yourquarterly dues are X amount of
dollars, and maybe that person,that's not going to fit into
their budget.
But why will fit into theirbudget?
Okay, so now that checks twoboxes.
The third is the interest.
(15:05):
You know what that club may beinterested in just doing service
meeting twice a month, one ofthe weeks, decide to have a
speaker that has been thoughtabout, that fits their needs and
what they want to hear.
(15:26):
That's how we create innovativeclubs.
That's how we are able to growour Rotary brand.
Now I do want to touch on ourRotary Foundation for just a
second, if you don't mind.
Sure, our Rotary Foundation.
You know top uh, one of the topfoundations in in the world.
You know charity.
I've seen charity, uh, charitynavigator rates was very, very
(15:48):
high, blah blah.
You can check it out.
But do brian, did you realizethat out of one dollar, only
eight cents goes toadministrative costs?
I'm I wish you could see hisface when I said that.
Yes, sir, eight cents out ofevery dollar, so 92 cents goes
(16:09):
towards our projects.
And this is the reason why Iinvest.
I'm going to tell you why Iinvest in the Rotary Foundation
as a Paul Harris Society member,meaning that I've pledged to
give at least $1,000 everysingle year.
Because I have witnessed thebenefit of Rotary and how we are
(16:30):
doing in our communities,because with that investment
that money's coming back to us.
I know in our district it'sinvested for three years.
Know, then we will see some ofthose residuals come back, but
we're able to do communityprojects, global grants and get
that support.
So at the end of the day, I getto see the benefit of it that
(16:51):
we talked about, the benefit ofwhy I joined.
Now I'm telling you the reasonwhy I give because I'm happy to
say that there is a waterfountain on a trail that we put
up.
I'm happy to show the proofthat that military welcome
center that's sitting at thePanama City Beach Airport, our
(17:13):
club renovated the place.
So you get to see the benefit.
And this is some of the sellingpoints I say selling points in
the marketing of of new membersis to show them that, it's to
show them that this is whatwe're all about.
A step back to move three,three steps forward.
(17:46):
Today, I think that we, we, weneed to um, look at our members,
see how they're doing.
Too many times we sit in a, Iwould say a, board meeting and,
I'll be honest with you, we makepre-judgments of what, why
they're not coming.
We tell ourselves the story whywe don't see xyz person sure,
(18:06):
without asking the person,without?
asking the person and I said weI, we just went through this
exercise in my own club.
I said they're like, well, weneed to go ahead and terminate
this member, this member, thismember.
I said can I ask a question?
Has anybody picked the phone tocall Clay?
Oh well, well, if he's notshowing up, I said I tell you
(18:27):
what.
I'm going to put y'all on holdfor a second Clay.
How you doing my friend Andre?
I've been suffering.
He told me the reason why hehaven't seen him.
I said, by the way, this is thereason why he's not there.
Brian Triger (18:41):
Sure you sit a new member in a club.
They can probably fill out afew pages of reasons why they
have no interest in coming backa second time, you know why?
Andre Boyd (18:54):
Because somebody physically did not check on them
.
This is where it's going If wewant to retain our members.
Brian, it takes literally asecond to get that number.
You can call them, you can textthem.
I don't recommend emailing them, but I think something that's
(19:15):
personal that says, hey, how areyou doing?
I haven't heard from you in awhile.
You know, I just want to checkon you and we have found out a
lot of great information fromfolks.
Someone was traveling abroadfor three months.
We didn't know that, but theymade the assumption that the
person did not care about Rotary.
But guess what?
(19:35):
They ended up going to Rotarymeetings in the countries they
were visiting.
Brian Triger (19:41):
And I'd like to add on that.
Onto that too and this is justbased on my own experience
engaging in that specific withthat specific member I'd
encourage that person to bebrought to several different
people in power positions,depending on what the individual
wants the narrative to be.
Because, you know, this mightsound a little bit like paranoia
(20:05):
, but I don't think it is.
I think we all have a biasedperspective to some extent, if
they reach out to an individualwho, basically, is concerned
about rocking the boat, so tospeak, that person's voice may
not carry out to the people'sears that need to hear that
individual.
These changes might not occur,especially within an
(20:25):
organization that has so muchhistory and, let's say,
someone's in more of atraditional club.
That can be one of the reallybig challenges of having someone
with fresh eyes in atraditional club.
They can get lost between thecracks.
I've experienced that myself.
Andre Boyd (20:43):
But the key is the key is is that clubs have to be
willing, willing to listen tojust different ideas, but the
concept never changes.
Brian Triger (20:57):
Yeah.
Andre Boyd (20:58):
A four-way test.
Don't change the service aboveself.
Doesn't change all.
All it is is just a differentpresentation on how to connect
with those that we're trying toattract yeah, it doesn't change
the interpretation of it doesright.
So I just say, you know when,when we're out here trying to to
(21:21):
I don't like the word recruitmembers.
We want folks who want to comeinto our clubs, that want to
make a difference, because youknow what, that's my feeling
when we have new members thatcome in, because they join our
clubs, because they want to makea difference within themselves
and within our community, withinthe world.
They want this to happen.
(21:42):
So why aren't we doing that forthem?
Because sometimes and this issomething that our district
governor line talks about thatwe've got to stop, as leaders,
stop failing our members.
We've got to stop it.
We've got to stop it.
No-transcript.
(22:29):
They actually have a definiterole because they are the key to
our members.
Brian Triger (22:38):
You have to let new people fail.
Yes, you really do.
You have to.
You have to shake things up andyou have to let new minds and
new personas fail, so that theycan succeed.
Andre Boyd (22:51):
Right.
But also, like we said, havingyou know, I'll go back to my own
club when joined, because Ileft another club and I actually
went to the club I'm in now,the club.
I asked.
I said you know, tell me whatyour challenges are in this club
(23:11):
.
I want to know.
I said, andre, we don't have awebsite, not a problem, that's a
couple clicks of a button.
Blah, blah, blah, nine yards.
Is it the best website in theworld?
No, but I checked the box forthem.
Andre, we don't have bylaws,not a problem.
Today I said hey, listen, weneed bylaws.
(23:33):
Blah, blah, blah.
Today I'm looking for threepeople to join this committee.
I need you to raise your hand.
And one, two, three, boom, fivepeople raised their hand.
I was able to engage memberswho have never volunteered for
nothing in that club.
Because I, because there was ajob that had to be done and,
(23:55):
brian, they jumped on it becausenow they now they feel
empowered that they are, thatwhat they're going to, what
they're going to recommend tothe board into the membership,
is going to be profound.
It's going to be something thatthat's something that's how
they were making their impact.
Brian Triger (24:15):
So at the end of the day, that's what it's all
about.
I love it.
So let's wrap this up with onestep forward for 6940 and 5750.
Any ideas as to how both of ourdistricts move forward?
Andre Boyd (24:30):
5750,.
Any ideas as to how both of ourdistricts move forward?
Well?
I tell you, by Rotary Sparks,the Rotary Spark podcast the
Rotary Spark podcast has made areally, really big impact when I
spoke to our district editor,who puts our newsletter together
, and I told him about what 5750is doing with the podcast, and
(24:55):
so that turned up a lot ofinterest.
And as I was at my district zonemeeting summit and talking to
the district governor Lex, fromall up and down the East Coast
and the Bahamas and the islandsand everything like that,
talking about this podcast,brian, it became a topic of
(25:17):
conversation because it's usingthe technology, using the using,
just using what I'm seeing hereand making this available not
only to your members, but to theworld I'm seeing here and
making this available not onlyto your members, but to the
world.
So that's the one thing that Icould tell you that really,
really bridged the gap.
Something else to collaborateon is that we you know a lot of
(25:44):
our clubs, you know, during thepandemic decided to go to an
online, just that and the other,and I know that it wasn't
popular for a lot of folks goingon yards, but in my own club,
we embraced it.
Now it's part of our, it's apart of our membership package
that we put out.
Now we talk about collaboration.
Well, brian, it if, if it saysthat you need such and such and
(26:05):
such from the state of flor toto speak to your Rotary Club,
well, guess what?
We can make that happen.
How, Brian, can you put, canyou hook up a?
You know I can say a monitorbut a computer to where your
club has a screen, blah, blah,blah.
(26:26):
And all of a sudden we havequote, I'm going to say Marco
Rubio, who's vetting to be ournew secretary of state, coming
up in the next presidentialcycle.
Well, guess what?
That's what you know.
Matt calls Andre, andre goes,you know what?
(26:46):
Let me see what I can do aboutthat, talking about just
bringing that information backand forth and so, because I see
what you guys do with yourpodcast and letting you know how
we've done it.
You know when the pandemichappened, because we did have
Marco Rubio to be our speakerone time.
Brian Triger (27:04):
That's why I bring him up.
Andre Boyd (27:06):
But not only that.
You know it could be, you knowit could be our next
international president, ournational, our Stephanie Urchik,
or it could be one of our zone,our Rotary director leaders,
because you may think, ormembers may think well, why am I
, why do I want to hear fromthose guys?
Why?
(27:27):
Well, let me tell you somethingwhen you hear, like Stephanie
Erchik speak, our RotaryInternational President, and how
down to earth she is, she isall about her Pittsburgh
Steelers and she's all I mean,even in the colors of Magic of
Rotary, which is our theme thisyear, if you really look at that
(27:48):
theme, look at the colors andlook at the stars, pittsburgh
Steelers craziness.
But again, where you guys mayhave a contact or a need or no,
no, I know I could tell you howwe can collaborate very, very
quickly is that both of us.
(28:09):
National disasters happen.
Well, it may be a time whereOklahoma gets hit with a tornado
.
The Rotary Clubs may need alittle hand and help.
Oh, wait a minute.
We have a quick connection toour Rotary Districts in Florida.
Why, andre, here's thechallenge we're having blah blah
(28:30):
a minute.
We have a quick connection toour rotary districts in Florida.
Why, andre, here's thechallenge we're having blah,
blah, blah honing on yards.
Brian Triger (28:35):
Vice versa, or even a dual fundraiser.
A dual fundraiser, A new eventthat's created in both locations
and having even a smallcompetitive nature of hey, let's
race to the finish line withour brother and or sister
district over in the panhandle.
Andre Boyd (28:53):
It can be even to the point of the race to polio.
It can actually go that far aswell.
But, like you said, a coolfundraiser that people actually
care about and they want to be apart of.
Brian Triger (29:09):
Yeah, no, I love this.
It's kind of an opportunity tosee the possibility of breaking
down the tech barriers andletting the traditional stuff
stay where it needs to be orintertwine, if it's appropriate,
within a specific narrative,but just basically removing the
bottleneck and allowing Rotaryto finally change into what it
(29:30):
wants and or needs to be andalso to attract those that want
that change or want to see thathappen.
Andre Boyd (29:37):
But also and again we talk about the attraction
this may be attracted to a wholenother demographic yeah that we
kind of sort of say, oh well,they don't make enough money to
do that.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Do they have the heart to serve?
Yeah, do they have the heart to?
You know, just to be there andto make things happen?
(30:02):
I see a lot of our.
I would say our youngerRotarians are younger Rotarians.
I see more satisfaction out ofthem when they are doing
something that made a difference.
Brian Triger (30:19):
That's great.
Well, thank you for all of this, Andre.
I really appreciate it.
Andre Boyd (30:23):
Well, I appreciate you taking the time to hear me
talk about my story and babbleabout Rotary, to hear me talk
about my story and babble aboutRotary, but I really believe
that Rotary is the key tochanging people's lives.
Brian Triger (30:36):
One thing I want to touch on just before we wrap
up is and I've said that oncebefore, but I promise this is
the last time you talking aboutMarco Rubio I'd love to get you
know people from the ISS orpeople involved in any capacity
(30:56):
tied to maybe you know the 10largest organizations that are
currently considered the largestorganizations in the world,
specifically on the tech side,or really any any individual
that can inspire people to makethe realization that spectating
is a choice.
(31:16):
You know there's a difference.
There's a clear divisionbetween being a spectator and
participating, and spectating isimportant and I do it.
There are a lot of times thatI'm not necessarily in the camp
of people of action, butregardless of our size and our
influence or levels of wealthwhether it's social, financial
(31:38):
or any other variety of agreedupon wealth status we can still
participate and make a minorchange.
That matters, and that's why Iwant to just mix it up a little
bit.
Get some more inspiringspeakers within our district to
learn from your district andkind of focus on other districts
(32:02):
and what they're doing, so thatwe can really make some more
changes.
Andre Boyd (32:08):
Well, I could see in your podcast, because you
showed me your calendar, thatyou're moving in that right
direction, Brian, in the waythat the Rotary Club of Mid-City
oh yeah, the Rotary Club ofMidwest City, Midwest City.
I get that wrong every singletime.
But no, you guys are moving inthe right direction, sure, and
(32:29):
that.
You know, sometimes change ishard for folks.
Brian Triger (32:33):
Yeah.
Andre Boyd (32:34):
And that.
But sometimes when you do makethose changes and they
personally see benefit and theysee, okay, well, I can see how,
how this is impacting our lives,this, that and the other, and
it you know, I always use theanalogy about a battleship.
I said you know, I tell myclients all the time listen.
(32:55):
I said you know I'm the tugboat,that's the battleship.
My job is to turn thatbattleship around and I've
actually witnessed a battleshipbeing turned around in the
harbor before, brian.
It takes a while for them to doit, but when they finally get
it done, the boat is going inthe right direction, the way
(33:17):
that it was designed to do.
But the tugboat sometimes withrotary, where we are, sometimes
folks right now, like yourself,you may be the tugboat that it's
inching, it's turning, but itmight not be at the capacity
that you were looking for it tohappen, but it is happening.
(33:37):
This podcast is happening.
This is future and bringing theinformation to the information
about the Rotary Club here inOklahoma and the district here.
This is very, very innovative.
Brian Triger (33:55):
Well, thank you for that feedback and I really
do, and I haven't given myselfthe opportunity to push credit
in this way.
But honestly, if I didn't havethe humble roots of being a
member of the Midwest CityRotary Club and being in more of
a traditional club that youknow they love their religion
and they are super supportive oflocal schools and veterans and
(34:22):
they like to sing there are alot of it's if I wasn't in such
a great humble group of peoplethat kind of made me a little
bit uncomfortable, that made mewant to break out in some type
of way and grow, I don't thinkthis podcast would have came to
be.
So I have to give Midwest CityRotary Club credit for my Rotary
(34:45):
origin story as well.
So thank you, midwest CityRotary.
Andre Boyd (34:48):
Club and you shared with me earlier that with your
club has really changed yourlife professionally and
personally.
And that's exactly what Rotaryis there to do is to make those
things happen and to realize andfor them that club, to realize
(35:09):
what your full potential can be.
But the good thing about it isthat you know.
You know you mentioned yourclub all the time in this
podcast because you're proud ofyour club, you're proud of what
they've done.
You're proud that that you'relearning things from your club
that you did not know and, viceversa, they're going to learn
(35:30):
things that you know that nowyou know.
Yeah.
Brian Triger (35:35):
You have to start somewhere, yes, sir.
So thanks again, Andre.
I want to thank District 5750and all of the Rotarians within
our district, Also all of theRotarians outside of our
district and the El MonteLibrary for allowing us to
record IT Spark for facilitatingsome of the support behind the
(35:57):
scenes, and anyone else that Ididn't mention.
Happy holidays everyone.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Any other holidays that I did
not mention, as well as HappyNew Year.
We will be seeing you againafter the new year.
So happy 2025, everyone.
Have a good night.
Welcome to the Rotary Spark Podcast.
I'm your host, brian Traeger,and with me today is Andre Boyd
from District 6940.
How are you doing today?
Andre Boyd (00:34):
Andre Brian doing very, very well.
Thank you so much.
Brian Triger (00:38):
You're welcome.
I appreciate having you here.
You're the first person on thispodcast coming from another
district, so I'm really excitedto have you and gain your
perspective on the world ofRotary.
Andre Boyd (00:50):
Well, I have to tell you, this is very, very
innovative, and I'm glad to seethat we have districts out there
that are really focused on thefuture and bringing the message
of Rotary in a podcast.
Brian Triger (01:03):
Yeah, no, I think that's really good feedback.
So, Andre, tell us a little bitabout your Rotary story.
Andre Boyd (01:08):
My Rotary story is very interesting.
I came through Rotary throughthe back door.
People always ask and I getthat look on Brian's face going
back door.
What does that mean?
Well, my background ismarketing.
I worked at several TV stationsand radio stations in my career
and I was working at a TVstation in Panama City, florida,
(01:32):
and a friend of mine came to meand said hey, we have an event
that's coming up and that weneed some help marketing it.
We have an event that's comingup and that we need some help
marketing it, and so would I beable to help?
I said, sure, no problem.
I mean, I put spots together,run them on TV.
Brian Triger (01:55):
That's what I do.
Andre Boyd (01:56):
Well, the name of this event was Grills Gone Wild.
I know what you're thinking.
Well, living in Panama CityBeach, there was Girls Gone Wild
, which was a video back in the90s blah, blah, blah, nine yards
.
So they end up using the GrillsGone Wild as their barbecue
(02:19):
event.
So the tongue in cheek of thebarbecue event really, really
got me excited and seeing it.
So, anyway, I played, so weproduced a television spot.
Brian Triger (02:30):
We ran it nine yards.
Andre Boyd (02:32):
The event happened.
The event happened and then,finally, I got a call one day
from the young lady who asked meto put to put this on TV.
She said what are you doing thesecond week in December?
And that was 2012.
(02:53):
I said nothing, I'm available.
Well, she says well, I want youto come here.
She gave me the address, Brian,I walked in and I knew pretty
much everybody in the room andso, talking, you know, I got my
plate of food whole nine yardsand all of a sudden, a bell rang
, ding, all of a sudden, peoplestopped what they were doing.
(03:18):
They all stood up.
She said welcome to the RotaryClub of Panama City Beach.
I'm Eric Esbivey, your clubpresident.
This, that and the other.
And so they started off withthese different rituals.
Rituals meaning a pledge.
They did an invocation and thenthey recited four questions.
(03:38):
I'm like, okay, this is prettyinteresting and everybody knew
what those questions were, solet's speed ahead.
I'm there to watch checkpresentations happen.
They, the money they raised wasabout 20, $25,000.
Brian, they gave every pennyaway to local charities.
(04:00):
I was, wow, I'm thinking thisis awesome, Whole nine yards.
I'm thinking I said you gaveall that money away.
Why did you do that.
That makes no sense to me,Brian.
She goes well.
That's what Rotary's all about.
We're all about service aboveself.
We're all about giving back tothe community, Andre.
(04:27):
Since you really really had agood time, Andre, would you join
our club today?
So when I talk about thebackdoor, I got to see the
benefit of Rotary before I knewwhat Rotary was.
So February 2023, no, sorry,Rotary, February 2013,.
(04:48):
That's when I joined Rotary.
I remember that day all so well.
So when you ask me about mystory, I know it's long, but
that's how I became a Rotarianthat day.
Brian Triger (05:02):
That's awesome, I really like that a lot that day.
That's awesome, I really likedthat a lot.
Uh, my story is different.
So, um, but I'm creating somekind of parallel connections in
my head and I I reallyappreciate the fact that you
were able to just kind of absorbthe culture, uh, you know,
actually directly, uh, withoutinitially being part of the
(05:22):
meeting itself, like you were,but actually directly, without
initially being part of themeeting itself, Like you were.
But you weren't Like you were.
You're basically unaware thatyou were inside of a Rotary Club
until that announcement wasmade.
Andre Boyd (05:33):
But that's the way moving.
Now I'm the districtgovernor-elect for District 6940
, Northwest Florida.
Brian Triger (05:40):
Yeah.
Andre Boyd (05:41):
Given.
This is something that we talkabout all the time.
I said we got to show thebenefit of what we do and how we
do it.
First.
It's better to invite you,brian, to an event, to where we
are making an impact keyword,impact in our community first.
Then the pop in circumstances.
(06:04):
You come into the meeting, blah, blah, blah, nine yards.
Now, brian, you see the benefitof what Rotary is all about.
Too many times, you know, weinvite people to come to our
Rotary clubs.
In some cases I'm going to talkabout District 6940.
Majority of times you invitethem three times this, that and
the other and then you ask themthey want to join the club and
blah, blah, blah, nine yards.
Brian Triger (06:26):
Well, wait a minute.
Andre Boyd (06:27):
You know what?
What we found out?
That the typical Rotarian, ifwe don't retain them for at
least two to three years,they're going to leave us.
You know why?
Because we haven't engaged themenough.
So engage our members, our, ourprospective members.
First, get them to the event.
(06:49):
Let them see the impact of whatrotary is all about, whether
they're reading to children inthe library, whether they're
picking up trash because withpicking up trash, what do you do
?
Brian Triger (07:01):
you're making the community a little bit better.
Of course.
Yeah mean if you're not willingto spend and I think it goes
both ways If a member is notwilling to invest two to three
years, or if a group of peopleor people specifically within an
organization are not willing toinvest two to three years into
an individual's life, there's nomutual benefit.
(07:22):
I would say that, just like youknow I'm not a relationship
expert uh, proof's in thepudding I about um tied to the
amount of animals I have in myhome, but I do know about, you
know, honeymoon periods.
And if you can't withstand that,and in both directions, then
you know, maybe maybe it'seither the wrong fit or maybe
(07:45):
you you met the wrong peoplebecause you know not to knock
anyone specifically, but thereare personality differences.
There are people in Rotary thatif I met first I would have
never, I would have never joined.
And there are people that maybeif I met a little bit sooner,
uh, I'd potentially become, youknow, a little bit more engaged
a little bit faster.
And I think that as we get anopportunity to spend time with
(08:07):
Rotary, or really anyorganization for that matter, we
get to kind of understand thelandscape and get to know
different personalities and howthis is a larger moving puzzle
that has a lot of history to it.
Yes, so it takes a while, andif you're, if you're, if
someone's just going to joinRotary, and then you know there
is no engagement and they'regoing to sit by themselves for a
(08:28):
year or two years, three years.
Are they joining in the firstplace?
And, what you know, they'regoing to think to themselves hey
it's time to go.
Andre Boyd (08:36):
Well, that's something that we've realized in
a lot of our clubs in District6940 that we've got to continue
to.
You have to engage members.
It can't be a, it can't be twomonths from now, it can't be a
year from now.
Engagement starts very, veryquickly.
(08:57):
Specifically in my own RotaryClub back in Florida, Engagement
starts when, when theonboarding membership process is
being because we do anonboarding process and
everything.
Brian Triger (09:10):
Yeah.
Andre Boyd (09:10):
That when the member , when that prospective member,
sit there, we actually show thema video of our different events
and at that time the membershipchair will say okay, let's say,
Brian, use your example.
Okay, Brian, you solve thesefour events.
Brian, which event do you seeyourself?
(09:31):
Involved in today?
Why?
do we do that.
So the prospective member makesa decision to be service-minded
and to do something, because wehave to give them something to
do.
And so we've done this and ourretention rate in our club has
(09:54):
gotten better, because now thosemembers see the benefit of what
Rotary is all about.
We show them the impact by themparticipating in, whether it's
our military welcome center orjust any other.
Brian Triger (10:09):
Yeah, you're integrating the element of
choice instead of kind ofleaving it as a potential
mindless hive.
Essentially, You're gettingthem to engage and actually make
some decisions tied to whatthey're interested in so they
can inject a little bit of self,but also put service above self
by understanding that they needto stay somewhat stimulated so
(10:33):
they don't fall asleep.
Andre Boyd (10:35):
They have to come back once they've done their
volunteering for whatever event.
Guess what we do the followingweek.
Hey, brian, you went out to theMilitary Welcome Center at the
airport, brian, give the mic toBrian.
Hey, brian, tell us what youthought.
It was the best experience I'veever had blah, blah, blah, nine
(10:56):
yards and that I was able tointeract with folks and they got
to tell their military story tome.
That, right there, impacted mylife so much.
We talked about that word,impact.
Impact is a huge word thesedays.
You know, with StephanieUrchick, our Rotary
International President, that isa big word.
(11:18):
It's that impact, not outcome.
It's impact of what we do asRotarians.
We again, impact means whatthat, yeah, we can give.
We can give a thousand dollarsfor, for for books.
That's the outcome.
You know the impact A child canread and that children are
(11:40):
reading, because if they're notlearning how to read, trust me,
there's a whole nother systemthat's out there.
That's not good.
Brian Triger (11:51):
That's a really good point.
We've had several opportunitiesto chat, and we actually had an
opportunity to chat rightbefore this episode, so let's,
let's dive right in.
You wanted to talk about thefuture of Rotary, so let's talk
about the future of Rotary.
Where are we going?
Andre Boyd (12:12):
Brian, where we're going in Rotary right now is
that, of course, we're told toneed to grow membership, we need
to grow foundation giving, weneed to create new clubs and
everything like that.
Well, here's the thing.
We have to take care of thepeople in our house first.
We need to make sure ourmembers are strong, because it's
through our members that we'reable to grow Rotary.
(12:35):
Here's the thing.
We have a lot of clubs that arevery traditional and they're
there.
You know, paul Harris did agreat job in getting us together
and Honan Yards, our founder,but today we have to look at
innovative ways to grow ourbrand.
Grow our brand is veryimportant too, because back in
(12:55):
the day it was all about wherewe did everything in secret.
It was all secretive, meaningthat maybe the playground that's
outside right now thatRotarians got it built, we never
talked about that.
Those days are gone.
If we're going to grow Rotary,we've got to stop keeping things
(13:15):
a secret and tell people whatwe do, and tell people what we
do, because if you're sittingthere and your kids are at that
playground, it's okay to put asign up that said that this part
was built by the Rotary Club ofMid-West City.
It's okay.
We have to start looking atways to what Meet the needs and
(13:38):
the wants of our prospectivemembers first.
We've got to do that.
So what does that mean?
We have to focus on their timewe have to focus on.
Maybe it'll be financial andalso the biggest thing we have
to focus on their interest.
Rotary has given us the roadmapto where we can create new,
(14:01):
innovative clubs, what we callsatellite clubs.
You know, eight members, wholenine yards.
That's attached to the homeclub.
But it's okay, because here'sthe thing, that those folks may
have another, a whole, I don'twant to say agenda, but they
have a whole perspective onwhere they can take Rotary but
(14:23):
still keep the foundation solid.
Continue with the four-way test,five-way test in some clubs
that stays the same.
But here's the thing.
We're meeting their needs bywhat?
Creating a different time?
Well, if your club meets forbreakfast and they can meet in
the evening, fine If they, ifyou.
Well, if your club meets forbreakfast and they can meet in
the evening, fine.
(14:44):
If your club dues are forannual dues, I'm sorry.
Your quarterly dues, if yourquarterly dues are X amount of
dollars, and maybe that person,that's not going to fit into
their budget.
But why will fit into theirbudget?
Okay, so now that checks twoboxes.
The third is the interest.
(15:05):
You know what that club may beinterested in just doing service
meeting twice a month, one ofthe weeks, decide to have a
speaker that has been thoughtabout, that fits their needs and
what they want to hear.
(15:26):
That's how we create innovativeclubs.
That's how we are able to growour Rotary brand.
Now I do want to touch on ourRotary Foundation for just a
second, if you don't mind.
Sure, our Rotary Foundation.
You know top uh, one of the topfoundations in in the world.
You know charity.
I've seen charity, uh, charitynavigator rates was very, very
(15:48):
high, blah blah.
You can check it out.
But do brian, did you realizethat out of one dollar, only
eight cents goes toadministrative costs?
I'm I wish you could see hisface when I said that.
Yes, sir, eight cents out ofevery dollar, so 92 cents goes
(16:09):
towards our projects.
And this is the reason why Iinvest.
I'm going to tell you why Iinvest in the Rotary Foundation
as a Paul Harris Society member,meaning that I've pledged to
give at least $1,000 everysingle year.
Because I have witnessed thebenefit of Rotary and how we are
(16:30):
doing in our communities,because with that investment
that money's coming back to us.
I know in our district it'sinvested for three years.
Know, then we will see some ofthose residuals come back, but
we're able to do communityprojects, global grants and get
that support.
So at the end of the day, I getto see the benefit of it that
(16:51):
we talked about, the benefit ofwhy I joined.
Now I'm telling you the reasonwhy I give because I'm happy to
say that there is a waterfountain on a trail that we put
up.
I'm happy to show the proofthat that military welcome
center that's sitting at thePanama City Beach Airport, our
(17:13):
club renovated the place.
So you get to see the benefit.
And this is some of the sellingpoints I say selling points in
the marketing of of new membersis to show them that, it's to
show them that this is whatwe're all about.
A step back to move three,three steps forward.
(17:46):
Today, I think that we, we, weneed to um, look at our members,
see how they're doing.
Too many times we sit in a, Iwould say a, board meeting and,
I'll be honest with you, we makepre-judgments of what, why
they're not coming.
We tell ourselves the story whywe don't see xyz person sure,
(18:06):
without asking the person,without?
asking the person and I said weI, we just went through this
exercise in my own club.
I said they're like, well, weneed to go ahead and terminate
this member, this member, thismember.
I said can I ask a question?
Has anybody picked the phone tocall Clay?
Oh well, well, if he's notshowing up, I said I tell you
(18:27):
what.
I'm going to put y'all on holdfor a second Clay.
How you doing my friend Andre?
I've been suffering.
He told me the reason why hehaven't seen him.
I said, by the way, this is thereason why he's not there.
Brian Triger (18:41):
Sure you sit a new member in a club.
They can probably fill out afew pages of reasons why they
have no interest in coming backa second time, you know why?
Andre Boyd (18:54):
Because somebody physically did not check on them
.
This is where it's going If wewant to retain our members.
Brian, it takes literally asecond to get that number.
You can call them, you can textthem.
I don't recommend emailing them, but I think something that's
(19:15):
personal that says, hey, how areyou doing?
I haven't heard from you in awhile.
You know, I just want to checkon you and we have found out a
lot of great information fromfolks.
Someone was traveling abroadfor three months.
We didn't know that, but theymade the assumption that the
person did not care about Rotary.
But guess what?
(19:35):
They ended up going to Rotarymeetings in the countries they
were visiting.
Brian Triger (19:41):
And I'd like to add on that.
Onto that too and this is justbased on my own experience
engaging in that specific withthat specific member I'd
encourage that person to bebrought to several different
people in power positions,depending on what the individual
wants the narrative to be.
Because, you know, this mightsound a little bit like paranoia
(20:05):
, but I don't think it is.
I think we all have a biasedperspective to some extent, if
they reach out to an individualwho, basically, is concerned
about rocking the boat, so tospeak, that person's voice may
not carry out to the people'sears that need to hear that
individual.
These changes might not occur,especially within an
(20:25):
organization that has so muchhistory and, let's say,
someone's in more of atraditional club.
That can be one of the reallybig challenges of having someone
with fresh eyes in atraditional club.
They can get lost between thecracks.
I've experienced that myself.
Andre Boyd (20:43):
But the key is the key is is that clubs have to be
willing, willing to listen tojust different ideas, but the
concept never changes.
Brian Triger (20:57):
Yeah.
Andre Boyd (20:58):
A four-way test.
Don't change the service aboveself.
Doesn't change all.
All it is is just a differentpresentation on how to connect
with those that we're trying toattract yeah, it doesn't change
the interpretation of it doesright.
So I just say, you know when,when we're out here trying to to
(21:21):
I don't like the word recruitmembers.
We want folks who want to comeinto our clubs, that want to
make a difference, because youknow what, that's my feeling
when we have new members thatcome in, because they join our
clubs, because they want to makea difference within themselves
and within our community, withinthe world.
They want this to happen.
(21:42):
So why aren't we doing that forthem?
Because sometimes and this issomething that our district
governor line talks about thatwe've got to stop, as leaders,
stop failing our members.
We've got to stop it.
We've got to stop it.
No-transcript.
(22:29):
They actually have a definiterole because they are the key to
our members.
Brian Triger (22:38):
You have to let new people fail.
Yes, you really do.
You have to.
You have to shake things up andyou have to let new minds and
new personas fail, so that theycan succeed.
Andre Boyd (22:51):
Right.
But also, like we said, havingyou know, I'll go back to my own
club when joined, because Ileft another club and I actually
went to the club I'm in now,the club.
I asked.
I said you know, tell me whatyour challenges are in this club
(23:11):
.
I want to know.
I said, andre, we don't have awebsite, not a problem, that's a
couple clicks of a button.
Blah, blah, blah, nine yards.
Is it the best website in theworld?
No, but I checked the box forthem.
Andre, we don't have bylaws,not a problem.
Today I said hey, listen, weneed bylaws.
(23:33):
Blah, blah, blah.
Today I'm looking for threepeople to join this committee.
I need you to raise your hand.
And one, two, three, boom, fivepeople raised their hand.
I was able to engage memberswho have never volunteered for
nothing in that club.
Because I, because there was ajob that had to be done and,
(23:55):
brian, they jumped on it becausenow they now they feel
empowered that they are, thatwhat they're going to, what
they're going to recommend tothe board into the membership,
is going to be profound.
It's going to be something thatthat's something that's how
they were making their impact.
Brian Triger (24:15):
So at the end of the day, that's what it's all
about.
I love it.
So let's wrap this up with onestep forward for 6940 and 5750.
Any ideas as to how both of ourdistricts move forward?
Andre Boyd (24:30):
5750,.
Any ideas as to how both of ourdistricts move forward?
Well?
I tell you, by Rotary Sparks,the Rotary Spark podcast the
Rotary Spark podcast has made areally, really big impact when I
spoke to our district editor,who puts our newsletter together
, and I told him about what 5750is doing with the podcast, and
(24:55):
so that turned up a lot ofinterest.
And as I was at my district zonemeeting summit and talking to
the district governor Lex, fromall up and down the East Coast
and the Bahamas and the islandsand everything like that,
talking about this podcast,brian, it became a topic of
(25:17):
conversation because it's usingthe technology, using the using,
just using what I'm seeing hereand making this available not
only to your members, but to theworld I'm seeing here and
making this available not onlyto your members, but to the
world.
So that's the one thing that Icould tell you that really,
really bridged the gap.
Something else to collaborateon is that we you know a lot of
(25:44):
our clubs, you know, during thepandemic decided to go to an
online, just that and the other,and I know that it wasn't
popular for a lot of folks goingon yards, but in my own club,
we embraced it.
Now it's part of our, it's apart of our membership package
that we put out.
Now we talk about collaboration.
Well, brian, it if, if it saysthat you need such and such and
(26:05):
such from the state of flor toto speak to your Rotary Club,
well, guess what?
We can make that happen.
How, Brian, can you put, canyou hook up a?
You know I can say a monitorbut a computer to where your
club has a screen, blah, blah,blah.
(26:26):
And all of a sudden we havequote, I'm going to say Marco
Rubio, who's vetting to be ournew secretary of state, coming
up in the next presidentialcycle.
Well, guess what?
That's what you know.
Matt calls Andre, andre goes,you know what?
(26:46):
Let me see what I can do aboutthat, talking about just
bringing that information backand forth and so, because I see
what you guys do with yourpodcast and letting you know how
we've done it.
You know when the pandemichappened, because we did have
Marco Rubio to be our speakerone time.
Brian Triger (27:04):
That's why I bring him up.
Andre Boyd (27:06):
But not only that.
You know it could be, you knowit could be our next
international president, ournational, our Stephanie Urchik,
or it could be one of our zone,our Rotary director leaders,
because you may think, ormembers may think well, why am I
, why do I want to hear fromthose guys?
Why?
(27:27):
Well, let me tell you somethingwhen you hear, like Stephanie
Erchik speak, our RotaryInternational President, and how
down to earth she is, she isall about her Pittsburgh
Steelers and she's all I mean,even in the colors of Magic of
Rotary, which is our theme thisyear, if you really look at that
(27:48):
theme, look at the colors andlook at the stars, pittsburgh
Steelers craziness.
But again, where you guys mayhave a contact or a need or no,
no, I know I could tell you howwe can collaborate very, very
quickly is that both of us.
(28:09):
National disasters happen.
Well, it may be a time whereOklahoma gets hit with a tornado
.
The Rotary Clubs may need alittle hand and help.
Oh, wait a minute.
We have a quick connection toour Rotary Districts in Florida.
Why, andre, here's thechallenge we're having blah blah
(28:30):
a minute.
We have a quick connection toour rotary districts in Florida.
Why, andre, here's thechallenge we're having blah,
blah, blah honing on yards.
Brian Triger (28:35):
Vice versa, or even a dual fundraiser.
A dual fundraiser, A new eventthat's created in both locations
and having even a smallcompetitive nature of hey, let's
race to the finish line withour brother and or sister
district over in the panhandle.
Andre Boyd (28:53):
It can be even to the point of the race to polio.
It can actually go that far aswell.
But, like you said, a coolfundraiser that people actually
care about and they want to be apart of.
Brian Triger (29:09):
Yeah, no, I love this.
It's kind of an opportunity tosee the possibility of breaking
down the tech barriers andletting the traditional stuff
stay where it needs to be orintertwine, if it's appropriate,
within a specific narrative,but just basically removing the
bottleneck and allowing Rotaryto finally change into what it
(29:30):
wants and or needs to be andalso to attract those that want
that change or want to see thathappen.
Andre Boyd (29:37):
But also and again we talk about the attraction
this may be attracted to a wholenother demographic yeah that we
kind of sort of say, oh well,they don't make enough money to
do that.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Do they have the heart to serve?
Yeah, do they have the heart to?
You know, just to be there andto make things happen?
(30:02):
I see a lot of our.
I would say our youngerRotarians are younger Rotarians.
I see more satisfaction out ofthem when they are doing
something that made a difference.
Brian Triger (30:19):
That's great.
Well, thank you for all of this, Andre.
I really appreciate it.
Andre Boyd (30:23):
Well, I appreciate you taking the time to hear me
talk about my story and babbleabout Rotary, to hear me talk
about my story and babble aboutRotary, but I really believe
that Rotary is the key tochanging people's lives.
Brian Triger (30:36):
One thing I want to touch on just before we wrap
up is and I've said that oncebefore, but I promise this is
the last time you talking aboutMarco Rubio I'd love to get you
know people from the ISS orpeople involved in any capacity
(30:56):
tied to maybe you know the 10largest organizations that are
currently considered the largestorganizations in the world,
specifically on the tech side,or really any any individual
that can inspire people to makethe realization that spectating
is a choice.
(31:16):
You know there's a difference.
There's a clear divisionbetween being a spectator and
participating, and spectating isimportant and I do it.
There are a lot of times thatI'm not necessarily in the camp
of people of action, butregardless of our size and our
influence or levels of wealthwhether it's social, financial
(31:38):
or any other variety of agreedupon wealth status we can still
participate and make a minorchange.
That matters, and that's why Iwant to just mix it up a little
bit.
Get some more inspiringspeakers within our district to
learn from your district andkind of focus on other districts
(32:02):
and what they're doing, so thatwe can really make some more
changes.
Andre Boyd (32:08):
Well, I could see in your podcast, because you
showed me your calendar, thatyou're moving in that right
direction, Brian, in the waythat the Rotary Club of Mid-City
oh yeah, the Rotary Club ofMidwest City, Midwest City.
I get that wrong every singletime.
But no, you guys are moving inthe right direction, sure, and
(32:29):
that.
You know, sometimes change ishard for folks.
Brian Triger (32:33):
Yeah.
Andre Boyd (32:34):
And that.
But sometimes when you do makethose changes and they
personally see benefit and theysee, okay, well, I can see how,
how this is impacting our lives,this, that and the other, and
it you know, I always use theanalogy about a battleship.
I said you know, I tell myclients all the time listen.
(32:55):
I said you know I'm the tugboat,that's the battleship.
My job is to turn thatbattleship around and I've
actually witnessed a battleshipbeing turned around in the
harbor before, brian.
It takes a while for them to doit, but when they finally get
it done, the boat is going inthe right direction, the way
(33:17):
that it was designed to do.
But the tugboat sometimes withrotary, where we are, sometimes
folks right now, like yourself,you may be the tugboat that it's
inching, it's turning, but itmight not be at the capacity
that you were looking for it tohappen, but it is happening.
(33:37):
This podcast is happening.
This is future and bringing theinformation to the information
about the Rotary Club here inOklahoma and the district here.
This is very, very innovative.
Brian Triger (33:55):
Well, thank you for that feedback and I really
do, and I haven't given myselfthe opportunity to push credit
in this way.
But honestly, if I didn't havethe humble roots of being a
member of the Midwest CityRotary Club and being in more of
a traditional club that youknow they love their religion
and they are super supportive oflocal schools and veterans and
(34:22):
they like to sing there are alot of it's if I wasn't in such
a great humble group of peoplethat kind of made me a little
bit uncomfortable, that made mewant to break out in some type
of way and grow, I don't thinkthis podcast would have came to
be.
So I have to give Midwest CityRotary Club credit for my Rotary
(34:45):
origin story as well.
So thank you, midwest CityRotary.
Andre Boyd (34:48):
Club and you shared with me earlier that with your
club has really changed yourlife professionally and
personally.
And that's exactly what Rotaryis there to do is to make those
things happen and to realize andfor them that club, to realize
(35:09):
what your full potential can be.
But the good thing about it isthat you know.
You know you mentioned yourclub all the time in this
podcast because you're proud ofyour club, you're proud of what
they've done.
You're proud that that you'relearning things from your club
that you did not know and, viceversa, they're going to learn
(35:30):
things that you know that nowyou know.
Yeah.
Brian Triger (35:35):
You have to start somewhere, yes, sir.
So thanks again, Andre.
I want to thank District 5750and all of the Rotarians within
our district, Also all of theRotarians outside of our
district and the El MonteLibrary for allowing us to
record IT Spark for facilitatingsome of the support behind the
(35:57):
scenes, and anyone else that Ididn't mention.
Happy holidays everyone.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Any other holidays that I did
not mention, as well as HappyNew Year.
We will be seeing you againafter the new year.
So happy 2025, everyone.
Have a good night.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!