Your District Visitor: Make the Most of It!

Ask any current or former district officer, and she will tell you that making club visits is one of the best parts of her position. She gets to travel, meet new people, and lend an ear to clubs to help wherever she can, and then she takes back what she's learned to be applied across the district. I've joked that I steal something from every club I visit ... and I pretty much do! I get a lot of neat ideas and see a lot of places for improvement, too.

Every District Nine club, every year, is assigned a district visitor, but remember that this person can be much more than a guest at one meeting. She's there to be used as a resource all year long; think of her as your liaison to the district board and program team. If she doesn't know the answer, she knows who does and will help you get it ... and all members should feel they have free and open access to board and program team members! Contact us at any time; no question is too simple.

With the beginning of our club year approaching, all club presidents soon will be contacted by a board member to schedule their annual visit. I encourage you to settle on a meeting at which:

• The board (and possibly committee chairs) can meet with the visitor separately from the rest of the club
• The visitor can have about 15 minutes to address the club on happenings across the district

Other tips to remember:

• The visitor will send you a pre-visit survey to return to her before she arrives. The information gathered on this form will help her with her club visit report.
• Shortly after your visit, you should receive the visitor's Club Visit Report. This is to be shared with all club members. A copy of this report, along with another report similar to the pre-visit survey you filled out, will be distributed to all district board members.
• The district governor will visit all clubs once during her four years as governor-elect and governor.
• District visitors love chocolate. Oh, wait. Well, we do. But (bribes and) gifts are not necessary.

I've told many people that every time I visit a club, I come away wanting to be a member there. We have some really terrific clubs in the Mighty Ninth, y'all! I can't wait to see you!

Beth Blair
Governor-Elect