This is a fantastic time in the Rotary Cycle. Changeover season is a mixture of celebration, anticipation and excitement for the evolving future of each of our clubs. Quite rightly we celebrate the successful year just completed and eagerly look forward to another successful year of service.

What we must all remember during this festive season is to acknowledge the contribution of individual members who have made that extra commitment to provide leadership to our clubs. We acknowledge our outgoing team and thank our incoming team for making their skills and abilities available to our clubs for the coming year.

But in the midst of all this activity we must also remember that our clubs operate best within the continuity context. Fine tuning, new initiatives, and refreshment are all hallmarks of effective clubs, but working through an evolving three year plan is what makes a club strong. We as a movement must ensure that we don't waste the knowledge and experience of those that have gone before us. Honour the power of the past whilst ensuring the force of the future.

There is no doubt that the major challenge our movement faces is membership. Retention is vital, which of course in based around engagement. So too is recruitment. Our best salespeople are engaged members who are proud of the membership. Casual conversations in which our excitement about being a member will come through is the most effective membership development tool. Why is it then that so many of our members don't wear their Rotary Membership pins with pride ? Recently I attended a non-Rotary function with numerous community leaders and opinion makers. There were at least eight Rotarians at this event. I was the only Rotarian wearing a membership badge. The wearing of the badge is a conversation starter which can lead to membership interest. We all complain about the lack of profile that Rotary receives. Surely part of the answer is within our own hands. Show your pride in being a Rotarian - wear your membership pin.

This being the final issue of Highlights for the 2015-16 Rotary year I wish to both thank and acknowledge Michael Ellinger for his fantastic support in producing this newsletter every month. Communications is a key requirement to the effective management of our movement. Michael, your excellence of service is greatly appreciated.

Be a gift to the world and ensure that Rotary serves humanity.