COMMENTS - PLEASE ENTER PROGRAM NAME IN SUBJECT LINE

Rotary International Convention, Montréal 2010

A Different Perspective

By President Carol Steen, Rotary eClub One

“The House of Friendship is closed,” said the announcer over the loudspeaker in Palais des congrés de Montréal. Exhibitors were already packing up their displays, taking down signs, and saying good bye to friends.

For Rotary eClub One members who spent time behind the table of our booth in the House of Friendship, it had been a busy five days of talking to the hundreds of Rotarians, Rotaractors, and Interactors who visited with us.

For my husband Robert and me, our House of Friendship adventure began in North Carolina when we loaded up our big pickup with banners, business cards, informational brochures, packing tape, scissors, and rolls of Velcro®.  Armed with maps and a Global Positioning System voice, we made our way north, through customs, and on into Montréal. After a quick stop to leave luggage at our hotel, we squeezed the truck through the busy streets to the convention center.

Robert parked in front, hopped out, and went upstairs to Registration then guarded the pickup while I did the same. Now outfitted with our Early Entrance wristbands and a permit for loading dock parking, we made our way around the giant building to a back entrance. In a very short time, we had unloaded and transported everything inside.

Our booth space was combined with two other e-clubs, the Rotary E-Club of LatinoAmerica, and the Rotary E-Club of London Centenary. The thoughtful Rotary Exhibitor staff had placed us directly across from the Internet Café. As the bank of computers was being booted up, the red carpeting rolled into place, and comfortable chairs set out nearby, we started our work.

Within a couple of hours our signage was positioned, our brochures displayed, and we were ready for the opening bell on Saturday.  We met some of our ‘neighbors,’ including a delightful group of Interactors around the corner. They had no way to hang the fabric backdrops that they had brought for their booth, so we offered some of our Velcro. For the next days, as you can guess, we were known as the Velcro People.

Back to the loading dock, out in the traffic, and finally to our hotel, we put the pickup in the garage and breathed a sigh of relief. Everything had gone smoothly.

Early Saturday morning, we waited outside the House of Friendship, once again wearing our Early Entrance wristbands. At precisely 9 a.m. we were admitted. Within seconds the pre-opening hustle began. The final touches were being put on some displays as other exhibitors were just setting up. Introductions, hugs from old friends, offers to help…these were all part of this busy time.

At 10 a.m. the giant room was officially opened. A steady stream of visitors came by our booth each day. Some people simply said, “I use you (for make-ups). Great programs!” Others wanted to know how we work. (“Very well,” replied one of our members after hearing this question at least a dozen times one morning.) Many visitors had never heard of e-clubs; others were interested in starting e-clubs in their own districts. Over the course of the convention, we distributed 300 cards directing people to the special informational website and social network groups that our club launched to help start-ups. We passed out over 1000 informational cards that tell about our club, handed out about the same number of cards that direct Rotarians to our website for make-ups, and often took advantage of the close proximity of the Internet Café to walk Rotarians through the make-up process.  

A disappointment came when the President of the Rotary E-Club of LatinoAmerica contacted us to say that their envoy would not be able to attend. We did have fun visiting with the two representatives of the Rotary E-Club of London Centenary, however.

For Rotary eClub One members, as exciting as the interaction with visitors was, the biggest excitement came when our fellow members arrived. Yes, each member rolled up his or her sleeves and talked to strangers, but as soon as we were able, we would visit among ourselves or sneak off in pairs or groups for lively conversation.  Although many of us met face to face in Montreal for the first time, we are already online friends as members of the same web-based Rotary club.

Our evenings were fun. We enjoyed fellowship with our fellow club members over meals; we attended our club’s Annual Dinner which is always held in a very exclusive venue; we attended a special get-together sponsored by our home District 5450 in Colorado. During the days, we dashed off to Plenary Sessions, sat in workshops and breakout meetings, or went out sightseeing.

One visitor walked up to the booth, looked at our banners, then looked at us, and said, “I’ve made up on your website many times. I didn’t know you are real people!”

Now the House of Friendship was closing and it was time for these real people, real Rotarians, to leave the hall. Everything was packed back into the boxes. Our truck was on its way from the hotel garage, and the boxes were stacked near the loading dock. Workers had already arrived to get ready for the next convention. Booths were coming down, carpets being rolled up (they clean them at a warehouse…we asked!), and even the signs outside the center were changed within the hour.

The Rotary International Convention will convene next in New Orleans. If you’re there, please seek us out. We’ll be the real people sharing our enthusiasm for Rotary and Rotary eClub One with all who visit our booth.