C’s Cs                                         24th March 2020

 

Greetings from across the waves...airwaves, sound waves, radio waves, whatever waves!

I hope this edition of The Sparkle finds you safe and well; well in health and well stocked with toilet paper and wine…the essentials??  ;)

 

A crazy time is upon us and one where the best and worst of human traits start to become evident.  I think we have seen this recently with the extreme behaviour of some people who seem hell bent on stockpiling at any cost, balanced with the sharing and caring of others willing to give what they have to others in obvious need.  Social media is throbbing with the good, the bad and the ugly things people are doing.  I’ve recently joined a couple of Facebook groups who are more about sharing items and feel good stories.  I am very happy to report there are hundreds of people wanting to help…it makes me wonder why we haven’t been able to find these people and ask them to join Rotary, to do good things any time, not just in a perceived emergency…?  A story for another time perhaps.

 

This unusual and unprecedented event will make it difficult to maintain our social lives.  People may become more anxious, lonely and feel more isolated.  Please keep in touch with each other.  We’re lucky in this day and age to have technology to help; phone your friends.  Use email and send messages locally and across the world.  Surprise a friend overseas with a funny photo of yourself or message out of the blue.  Join an online book club.  Use social media for good, instead of evil!  Everyone is in the same boat.  Everyone!  Regardless of location, we are all experiencing the same things.  Share a laugh with a friend or two.  Conference calls - or the old “Party Lines” - are a great way to have a gathering without gathering!   :)
Remember to read The Sparkle to keep up with Rotary.  Keep in touch with your Committee Chair and others.  Call a club member you might not normally sit with, just for a change!  Time to look out for each other…

 

This week is quite monumental and historic for our Club.  It is the first of many meetings where we meet without meeting!  We will still have a Rotary meeting; still share fellowship and fun, but not in the same room.  A very new concept for us, but not unique across the world.  There are several clubs who do this as a regular thing, including the eClub of Silicon Valley in California.  They have weekly online meetings and a social or fundraising event once a month.  Their meetings can be used as a make up too.  :)  Their members come from 6 different continents!!  If you’re curious, here is the link…  www.siliconvalleyrotary.com

 

BUT!  I digress!  This week’s meeting will be held via ZOOM, an online conferencing program which seems really easy to use.  (The Board tried it out last week and got the hang of it after just a few minutes)  Members will receive an email with an invitation to join the meeting.  The invitation has a link that you click on and that will take you to the meeting.  You can attend with or without a webcam/video, but it’s more fun with one!  Lol!

 

If you don’t want to use a computer, you can easily access the meeting by phone.

Easiest way is to download the ZOOM app (it has a picture of a white video camera on a blue background) and access the meeting through the meeting ID code, which will be sent to you.  If you need help, please ask.

 

ZOOM étiquette

 

Please be ready at 6.55pm
Prior to logging on, please ensure you have good lighting in the room and no distractions coming and going (children, pets, clowns etc)
With most things, only one person should/can speak at a time.  You have a mute button on Zoom…find it and use it!  Any background noise will override the person trying to speak.
We will have an agenda similar to our regular meetings.  Committee Chairs will be invited to speak, general business and with a bit of luck, a Sergeant’s Fine Session!  Future meetings will include a guest speaker.

Anyway!  So, this week will obviously be a very much a learning experience for most of us.  Please be patient and courteous as we wade our way through this!  This is going to be an amazing tool for us actually… our club is all of a sudden open to new ideas, guest speakers from all over the world - and pyjamas.  Our meetings can be recorded and shared with members who were unable to make it at the time.  So much more!

 

Thank you for reading this looooong Conundrum this week.

LOOK OUT FOR THE EMAIL WITH THE MEETING INVITATION in the next couple of days.  

Download the app

Google Zoom if you want to learn more.

 

Have a great weekend!  Enjoy your garden!!

 

Hooroo for now,
Catherine xxx