BRIEF HISTORY OF LONE
STAR P.E.T.S. INC.
P.E.T.S. is the
acronym for "President Elect Training Seminar". This is an event occurring one
weekend a year when Rotary Club incoming presidents from nine Rotary Districts
are trained for their new responsibilities. Basically, the program addresses
leadership and management skills and reinforces the participants knowledge of
Rotary International and its myriad programs and opportunities for service. Lone
Star P.E.T.S. has historically been held in the Dallas / Fort Worth area because
of its central location, ease of transportation and the availability of
outstanding facilities.
There are currently nine Rotary
Districts that make up the membership of Lone Star P.E.T.S. Inc.: 5730, 5790,
5810, 5830, 5840, 5870, 5890, 5910 and 5930. Almost all of these Districts lie
totally within Texas with the exception of District 5830 that has two clubs in
Oklahoma and two clubs in the Arkansas portion of the city of Texarkana. There
are eleven clubs in far West Texas that are in District 5520 and not a part of
Lone Star P.E.T.S. There are 61 clubs in District 5520, of which 50 are in New
Mexico.
The first meeting of Lone Star P.E.T.S.
was held March
13-15, 1987 in San Antonio, TX. (The planning took place in 1986.)
with nine charter districts that are still voluntarily participating today. The
organization was formally incorporated as a nonprofit corporation with the State
of Texas in 1989 under the name of Lone Star P.E. T. S. Inc.
Following the letter and spirit of The
Manual of Procedure, District Governors Elect are involved in planning and
conducting this P.E.T.S. For some District Governors Elect this weekend provides
the first opportunity for them to get acquainted with those club presidents with
whom they will be working during their Rotary year and in their respective
leadership roles. Goals are set and a plan of action is introduced that
hopefully will enable the clubs individually and the District generally to have
the best year ever.
District Governors and Governors-elect
nominate Discussion Leaders as well as future Operating Chairmen from within
their respective Districts. They review the curriculum, promote attendance and
participate generally in evaluating the effectiveness of P.E.T.S.
Through a survey, an attempt was
made in January 1999 to determine the relevance of the training received
at P.E.T.S. The group targeted was current club presidents after they
had held office for 6 months. Survey results will continue to be
evaluated with the intention of making improvements and refinements in
future P.E.T.S. programs where possible and practical,
Lone Star P.E. T. S. is
administered by a Board of Trustees that is comprised of the current
Operating Chairman and the four most recent past Operating Chairmen.
Additionally, an Advisory Board, consisting of all Past Rotary
International Directors currently living in the organization's nine
districts, is invaluable as they offer advice and suggestions.
Curriculum is reviewed annually as
are the 40 Discussion Leaders that use the material in conducting
discussion groups which are the heart and soul of this training effort.
Participants are divided into 20 discussion groups based on the number
of members in their respective clubs. Each participant is exposed to a
total of six Discussion Leaders during the three half-day sessions.
Evaluations by participants of Discussion Leader performance are taken
very seriously by the Board of Trustees in a continuing effort to
maintain the highest quality of training possible.
Realizing the great importance of
spouse support for the club president, a separate and specific program
of indoctrination and inspiration is available. Basic Rotary information
is provided, realizing that many spouses have limited exposure to Rotary
and its programs. A growing number of spouses, however, are themselves
Rotarians and/or are male, causing the program to be continually
reviewed and modified to reflect new trends within Rotary specifically
and in society generally.
Responding to the relatively new
District Leadership Plan, Lone Star P.E.T. S. has begun training
sessions for Assistant District Governors. This training effort is a
necessary and logical step as future leadership is being developed not
only at the all-important local club level but at the District level as
well.
One of the outstanding advantages
Lone Star P.E.T.S. has enjoyed during the past 21 years, is providing an
opportunity for club Presidents-elect to hear top level Rotary
International officers as they speak at the Plenary Sessions.
Additionally, these officers make themselves available to meet with
smaller groups and with individuals sharing their insights, concerns,
hopes and plans. To hear these leaders speak to a large group and then
perhaps later engage them in personal dialog is a rare opportunity
indeed.
With 21 years of experience,
history and tradition upon which to build, future Lone Star P.E.T.S.
will be stronger because of those giants of Rotary who have shown those
of us who follow just what "Service Above Self is all about. Our task is
to improve on what is already good so that future generations of club
Presidents-elect will be better able to lead Rotary into its second
millennium knowing full well the best is yet to be.
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