Program: Powerful Programs and Rotary
Speaker: Rushton Hurley
Rushton Hurley is a high school teacher of Japanese language, the executive director of the educational nonprofit
NextVista.org, a trainer and speaker, and the one in charge of programs for RECSWUSA for 2009-2010.
Rushton joined Rotary in 2004 when he became a member of the San Antonio Downtown Rotary Club of San Antonio, Texas. Everything is bigger in Texas, and that club was at the time (and may still be) the world's largest, then having approximately 750 members. In 2005, when Rushton and his wife Tabitha moved to California, he moved his membership to the Rotary Club of Santa Clara, a fine club with a membership of somewhat fewer than 750. On the occasions he found himself making up missed meetings, he often chose the convenience and interesting environment of the Rotary eClub of the Southwest USA, and when his work schedule changed in 2008, he joined RECSWUSA.
Today's program is about the philosophy and mechanics of Rotary programs, with special attention to how RECSWUSA helps spread the insights and stories that inspire Rotarians weekly around the world.
Program Materials:
Powerfulprograms.pdf
Program Comments:
This week comments: 251, this week visitors: 94
Stephen F Kinney
Oshtemo Rotary
02/Sep/09, 9:19am
Wanted to check out a web based meeting as a makeup
Barbara Whiting
Sun Lakes
01/Sep/09, 2:04pm
It's a wonderful project!!
Karoline Woodruff
Greeley Rotary After Hours
31/Aug/09, 8:21pm
Enjoyed seeing how you run your e-meetings. I was doing a little research to pass on to my club.
Good programs are part of making a Rotary club a total experience. Nice thoughts about improving the programs.
Peggy Dyer
Sand Springs Rotary Club
26/Aug/09, 7:02pm
This was a very good program. The author, a high school language teacher from Texas. Spent 18 months teaching English in Japan. He talked about a powerful Rotary program done by Ted Rose and Susan Hill of Project Amigo. He found himself in Mexico later in a village helping size children's feet for the new shoes the Rotarians were giving the children. He talked about the connection between a powerful program and his doing something significant. He cahlenges us to think about the most powerful programs we had seen & talk about them.
Mine was when an emergency nurse who flew to emergencies via helicopter. She flew to a very bad wreck and found it was her son. He was riding in the back seat of an auto that left the road and left 3 teenagers dead -- including her son. Though he always wore his seatbelt, he did not that day. She said it would have saved his life. She pondered why he did not wear it that day -- basically -- that program left a profound message to me to be sure & buckle my seatbelt and the seatbelt of my children.
Good thoughts on getting ideas and how an on-line club can be, and is powerful to many people.
Luthfur Choudhury
Rotary Club of Dhaka North West
23/Aug/09, 4:23pm
It was very interesting to have an idea of the RUSHTON programe through your internet site.
good suggestions. all of us need to come up with presentations and this helps
Tom L. Larimore
The Rotary club of Western Fort Worth
23/Aug/09, 3:17pm
Weel organized and very informative
First time attendee - I'll definitely be back
Larry Reynolds
Campbell River Noon
20/Aug/09, 10:34am
Very informative and useful for people with marginal computer skills
Gerry McRae
Rotary Club of Kamloops (Downtown) BC Canada
19/Aug/09, 7:00pm
Are you able to load the text of most guest speakers?
If so, how do you manage to get the copy?
Bob Banzhoff
Mechanicsburg North
17/Aug/09, 10:10am
Our club does an essay contest based on the four way test.
EXCELLENT PRESENTATON, THE PRESENTER SOUNDS LIKE A TEACHER! I TAKE BOW
Rushton, I really enjoyed this meeting and think that you presented a great example for those of us who are new to the virtual Rotary space. Do you have any suggestions for those new to creating short videos? I find it hard to be as enthusiastic as I am in front of live Rotarians...
Thanks!
Marty Taylor
Rotary Club of Conroe, Texas
12/Aug/09, 12:36pm
Make-up for July 28, 2009
Greg Bowers
Rotary Club of Elizabethton, TN
11/Aug/09, 6:50pm
Thank you for allowing me to visit the site and make up the meeting I missed due to work-related obligations.
Raleigh Maatthews
5500
09/Aug/09, 6:18pm
None
It asked for the best program I've ever seen at Rotary... it was given by a professional who was a recovering alcoholic at our club. It was utterly honest about how alcoholism can take over one's life and the effect it has on the alcoholic, his work and his family. That was 20 or more years ago, and it stays with me to this day.
Rushton .....Thanks for a solid, informative program.
Mel
I agree that Rotary programs are powerful tools to educate and help people.
Ted Kozma
Stow Munroe Falls
06/Aug/09, 3:49am
Interesting
Ronald B. White
Western Fort Worth, Texas
04/Aug/09, 12:35pm
Had no idea as to the possible programs you people can come up with. Your computer knowledge is way over this 73 year old's head. This is the second program I have attended with Ruston as the speaker. I hope his students realize how lucky they are to be exposed to a teacher of his calibre. If they don't now, they will in the future.
Earl Dohner
Brookville club
03/Aug/09, 6:35pm
Another good program
Just getting oriented to e-meetings. I have pretty good attendance at my home club, but occasionally have to miss meetings. I enjoy reading/hearing about other Rotarians' projects and ideas.
Just getting oriented to e-meetings. I have pretty good attendance at my home club, but occasionally have to miss meetings. I enjoy reading/hearing about other Rotarians' projects and ideas.
Immanuel Freedman
Harleysville Rotary Club
02/Aug/09, 12:49pm
The Project Amigo presentation interesting, well-presenetd and about the right length to capture attention.
Barbara Darrigan
Cadillac Rotary Club
01/Aug/09, 7:00pm
We are always looking for interesting programs four meetings
kyle smith
El Campo, Texas
01/Aug/09, 6:20am
Very easy to navigate and understand.
Walt Wright
Rotary Club of Litchfield Park
30/Jul/09, 10:56pm
Well written - inspirational. Thanks.
BUTCH MIMS
MESQUITE LUNCH CLUB
30/Jul/09, 6:07am
THE WRITTEN MEDIA ISN OVERLOOKED FORMAT FOR ROTARY, AS YOU MENTION IT IS DOWN LOADABLE AND CAN BE DELIVERED IN AREAS WHERE EMAIL AND INTERNET ARE LACKING.
Prakash saraswat
Vasco da gama
30/Jul/09, 5:16am
great, the information was usefil
Curtis Hendrick
Roseville-Sunrise
29/Jul/09, 4:49pm
Good meeting. Informative, until I tried to download a link in your text from your program and it crashed my computer!
Well run meeting. Good to have some humuor
Carol Hart
Los Alamitos/Seal Beach
28/Jul/09, 11:48am
Very good.
Bob Lynn
HEB Rotary Club
28/Jul/09, 11:37am
Neat setup....different than some other meetings.
Phillip Moore
Perry Georgia
27/Jul/09, 7:55am
GOOD READ
Good program on good programs. I can't remember the best Rotary program I've ever attended, but what makes a Rotary program great (to me) is inspiration, particularly inspiration to act.
Global Essay Contest: Use R.I. Theme as a topic. This year it is MAKE DREAMS REAL
Enjoyed the ideas about programs from Rushton Hurley.
Don Herbert
Pleasanton North Rotary
24/Jul/09, 12:13pm
Excellent program on crafting stories that have a reach and a grab.
Peggy Dyer
Sand Springs Rotary Club
24/Jul/09, 6:55am
Rushton Hurley is a high school Japanese language teacher at a high school in Texas. He really talked about the value of telling stories to Rotarians. He gave the example of hearing a story at the Santa Clara club in California about the Project Amigo. He then visited the village of Cofradia, and helped with the distribution of new shoes to children. From this experience, he encourages people to tell their stories and passions to Rotarians who are capable of helping because they have a pool or energy and resources. In the end of the article he encouraged Rotarians to write their stories so that they could be included in the RECSWUSA site to share with others. He offered to change them from Word to PDF files if a person did not know how to do that. It was a great article that I enjoyed reading.
Chris Conger
Jonesboro Ark University
24/Jul/09, 6:10am
enjoyed the content.
Stellar Inspiration thoughts !!!
Paul Lehman
Rotary Club of Naperville, Illinois
23/Jul/09, 9:44am
Rushton's comments about creating a good --- make that great --- program have been implemented by most of your program givers. I thouroughly enjoy your web site and programs.
very interesting observation
Clinton Godwin
Rotary Club of Tulsa
22/Jul/09, 6:51am
Quality programs are indeed critical to attracting new Rotarians.
Good program, inspires me to do something "good" for others today.
John Molina
Chandler Horizon
21/Jul/09, 9:40am
I bellieve the nature of Rotary does enhance someone to tell their story in a powerful way, while at the same time taking that message to a wider community of Rotarians so that each one can make a contribution to the whole...
Gregg Driggers
Grand Prairie Metro Rotary
21/Jul/09, 9:01am
Excellent Program
James Hansen
Rotary Club of Mission Viejo
21/Jul/09, 6:13am
I found the information inspiring. This was a very pleasant experience.
John Renner
Alexandria virginia
20/Jul/09, 4:59am
very interesting
John Renner
Alexandria virginia
20/Jul/09, 4:50am
very interesting
Jeff Hoffman
Wenatchee Club - 222
19/Jul/09, 1:20pm
Good Program.
Great program. Our turn to write interesting and informative programs.
I have used this club before for a makeup and I'm not sure what changed, but it feels/looks like a better club! It has become more welcoming and personal and I really like that. The program 'Powerful Program' by Rushton Hurley was fun! I felt like I was really listening at a physical club and enjoyed myself. Thank you.
This is the first time I have visited your site. I have 37 years perfect attendance and I am on a trip in the Yukon Territory without RotaryClubs to attend. This site will allow me to keep up my perfect attendance.
As a member of an eClub I find your format for making up as well as thought-provoking for ways we may incorporate in our own make-up system. I especially like the flow of the "meetings". They are more in line with a "traditional" meeting and therefore make me feel right at home. Thank you for being fellow eClubbers and providing the service to all. I am also impressed with your membership numbers and will have to explore other programs and pages to see how you did that.
I liked it. It was a blatant request for more programs, but so what. They way people know that there is a need is by asking. Good Job Rushton.
Rushton,
Thanks for the program and sharing pic of Gordita with us.
Today I was reminded that "little things mean a lot" and
that we need to be continually planting seeds for
membership. Then the program about learning other
languages was very informative.
I always come away with more good ideas for our club after doing a makeup at eclub
A very enjoyable read. One of the things my club tries to do is stay away from the too common "begging for cash" meetings where local groups come with a laundry list of things they want us to pay for (we ask for that info in a different way). That's one thing I like about how we do our programs.
It is true that there are many stories out there to be told. It is much more restful to the soul, I think, to read or hear about human kindnesses and projects than the latest murder or robbery. Good program! And I enjoyed reading Kamran Makhdoom's story, too. It brought back pleasant memories for me. During my year as Governor of District 5510, my GSE exchange was with Pakistan. After my term was completed, I traveled to that country and spent time in Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi, meeting with Rotarians and speaking to their clubs. One evening I spoke to a combined Rotary event with members of the clubs of Karachi Mehran, Cosmopolitan, Gatewa, Universal, Citihills, Crown and Karachi. It is a very fond memory for me.
Good Stuff, thank you for this format to help make up meetings AND learn more about the club.
Thanks, Rushton - a topic that we need to have recapped periodically.
Interesting concept. I couldn't get out of meeting; started over several times; don't know exactly how to move through when I click on items of interest.
Arlie Adkins
Chandler North Rotary
16/Jul/09, 12:55pm
Great progams.
OK program. Most interesting to me--I was unaware that tips were tax deductible!
Gwen Robin
Ferriday
16/Jul/09, 9:27am
Very interesting
Keith Jilge
Cleburne, TX
16/Jul/09, 6:32am
NO... thank you for giving me some of your time.
David Saxon
Fort Smith, Ar #2438
15/Jul/09, 6:19pm
My first e meeting. Very interesting concept. Enjoyed reading Ruston's comments.
Interesting content. I'll be back.
Very good program, as usual. Good work!
Very interesting program on how the online Rotary Club works.
Very well written, humorous, yet to the point.
I appreciated the elegant simplicity of this piece -- presenting a Rotary program is basically sharing a good story about the work that one of us does. Perhaps if we use this description when inviting people to speak at our terra club meetings, they would have a better idea of what to do and how to prepare, and would be more eager to accept.
Gerold Abraham
Bartlett Rotary Club
14/Jul/09, 8:32pm
The Program presented several interesting pieces of information. I gained some new insight into what Rotary is all about, having been a Rotary membr for only about a year and a half.
Yes, Rotary programs are invitations to change the world! The best programs I have attended are those presented by members of my (or other clubs) which address the service of that member in his or her vocation - - things done outside of formal Rotary, but as a Rotary way of life. My donation will follow via snail mail
Good information. I recall a great program about a Rotary project fixing up an orphanage in Romania. It was a gut wrenching tear jerker of a slide show presentation, but it captured the essence of why we're in Rotary.
Excellent information Ruston for those intending to do a program for our wondweful E club,I will be intouch in the near future about the program , I am working on from down under, here in Australia.Ruston I remember your E Mail you sent informing me about your four years teaching in Perth.
I am sure you will do excellent job with the program this
this year for President Larry and all the Members and visitors to the RECSWUSA.
LEE JI-WON
Jeonju Pyunghwa Rotary Club
13/Jul/09, 11:00pm
Celebrate by myself my first visiting.
Nice program Rushton...arigato gozimus.
Phillip Sherwood
Arden-Arcade
13/Jul/09, 4:41pm
Interesting use of links in this presentation.
Mr. R. has again hit the nail on the head, it really is up to us to find those stories that remind us of who we really are and what we really do to support that
Speaker Rushton Hurley stresses the importance of our programs to the Rotary experience. As he says, "Sharing good stories is one reason we do what we do in Rotary, after all". Despite our good works as Rotarians, through our collective effort and pooled energy and resources for "honorable causes", Hurley asserts that Rotary has the "power to help people share powerful stories". Not only that, he offers the forum of Rotary eClub of the Southwest USA for persons who "would be interested in telling our group about the work that they do". In return, he says the RECSWUSA audience is not only large, but has the potential to reach many people through its internet venue. He requests submissions of about four to eight pages with pictures and pertinent links added. Great invitation to the Rotary world and beyond!
Great meeting. Took me a couple of tries to not close it after listening to the sound bites, but that's old age creeping up. BTW, Project Amigo is THE volunteer opportunity for Rotarians to get involved and see and feel the rewards up close and personal.
Thanks for the nice comments so far, and especially to Jack - welcome back!
Great challenge that we find a way to make someone smile.
Great job, Rushton! I'm off to check out the forums now.
Christine Guss
Colonial Park Rotary Club
13/Jul/09, 6:54am
I enjoyed the sense of humor that Rushton Hurley added to the presentation. It would have been nice to be there in person.
Aleared quite a bit and will useing these best practices in the development of my own programs!
Happy birthday, anniversary greetings, and great program by Rushton, whom I encouraged to join ReCSWUSA. Nice to see Ted Rose mentioned. He's a long time friend and does great work. With Rushton at the table, there should be some fine programs in his year.
I enjoyed Mr. Hurley's comments about how to do an electronic presentation!
