Happy April. It may not feel like it today where you are, but we all know that spring will come eventually. Some years in our part of the world it is followed just a few days later by summer, but the green grass, gardens and flowers always get here. Pay attention so you don’t miss it!

Rotary International’s April theme of protecting our environment is perfect for the upper Midwest as winter winds down, replaced by the rebirth of outdoor life. There are Rotary clubs everywhere actively picking up trash along roadways and waterfronts, planting or cleaning pollinator gardens, sprucing up a park they’ve adopted, and/or planning to submit a district grant application for further environmental stewardship. Thank you all for taking action in your community to improve the environment.

Speaking of membership, I hope each of you will make the effort and invite a potential member to a social event, a fundraiser, a community forum or maybe even to a Rotary meeting this quarter. Each club has a challenge goal of increasing membership by at least four percent this year. About a dozen clubs are at or above that mark as of the end of February, leaving about forty clubs needing to move assertively between now and June 30^th. Each club should have a membership plan in place to achieve the 4% mark. Ask your President or Membership Team Lead what you can do to help achieve the goal of plus four percent.

One tactic to appeal to a potential member is to invite them to come to the Make Peace Visible conference with you. The Mystic Lake room discount has been extended to April 9th, so there is still time to save some money, have great fun and plan time with people from your community, and possibly attract a new member to your club. WIN, WIN, WIN!!!

Thank you for living out the four-way test and for sharing Rotary with your friends.