By Rotary International

Chris Offer, middle, in Kassala, Sudan, representing Rotary on a World Health Organization polio surveillance project.

By Chris Offer, Rotary Club of Ladner, British Columbia, Canada

One of the difficult decisions I made recently was to change Rotary clubs. I had moved from the city of Vancouver to the suburb of Ladner. I had continued commuting for a few years, 45 minutes each way, to my Rotary meeting. When I finally decided to join a club only 10 minutes from my home, I left friends of many years behind and was introduced to new friends. The network of friends in my old club and the new friends in my current club are why I stay in Rotary.

My network of Rotary friends goes far beyond my Rotary club. I have made Rotary friends from many countries. Rotary has taken me to every corner of the world. Rotary conventions and opportunities for volunteer service have extended my network of friends from Sudan to Russia to India to Australia. Social media keeps me connected to this extended network of Rotary friends.

I experienced firsthand at a recent Rotary meeting the opportunities offered by the Rotary network of friends. My local member of Parliament (MP) …read more

Source:: Rotary International Blog

By Rotary International

Rotarian Bib Grazio and District 7750 Past District Governor Bruce Baker give students practical information about the working world during a recent Junior Achievement program. Some clubs count participation in a service project toward attendance.

By Terry R. Weaver, governor of District 7750 (South Carolina, USA)

In my travels as a newly fielded district governor, I’ve run into a misperception that several clubs have told me is getting in the way of membership growth.

The elephant in the living room? ATTENDANCE.

Let’s step back. Several years ago, Rotary’s Council on Legislation declared that almost ANY legitimate Rotary activity qualifies as a make-up. This includes not only attending another club’s meeting, but also a committee meeting or board meeting, working on a project (some clubs say for at least one or two hours), etc. “Etc.” means anything that can reasonably be called a Rotary service activity. Now, of course to get “credit” for a make-up, the member has to report that qualifying activity to the club secretary. Most clubs use a sign-in sheet at a committee meeting or project and then forward the whole list to the secretary.

Measuring engagement

Why did the Council do that? Because the point of tracking attendance is not to make people …read more

Source:: Rotary International Blog

By Rotary International

Evan Burrell reveals his “superhero” Rotary identity.

By Evan Burrell, a member of the Rotary Club of Turramurra, New South Wales, Australia, and a regular contributor

I’m sure that, as a child, you had a favorite superhero. Maybe it was Batman or Superman or Wonder Woman or even Spiderman, weaving webs or leaping tall buildings in a single bound to help those in need.

Now that we’re older, we know all too well that that sort of superhero is hard to find. But do you know the easiest place to find modern-day superheroes? Your local Rotary club! And they don’t even hide behind a secret identity.

Much like our comic book counterparts, Rotary members are regular people who go about their daily lives until “the call comes in.”

Through our membership in Rotary, we are able to make a difference in many different ways.

Recently, Rotarians joined other volunteers in immunizing thousands of children against polio during a one-day End Polio Now immunization drive in Pakistan. Rotary superheroes leapt to action in Gujarat, India, launching a program to put books into the hands of children from low-income families. Other superheroes formed a new Rotarian Action Group aimed at protecting the world’s most endangered species. Several years …read more

Source:: Rotary International Blog

By Rotary International

Bobby Keith, a member of the Rotary Club of Birmingham, Alabama, chats with Rotaractor David Knight during a recent meeting.

By Jeris Gaston, Rotaract Club of Birmingham, Alabama, USA

At the recent Rotary International Convention in São Paulo, Brazil, there were several breakout sessions geared toward the next generation of Rotarians. The one that stood out the most for me was “thirtysomething: How Clubs/Districts Can Provide Rotary Experiences for Young Professionals,” moderated by John Smola, a past president of my club, and Christa Papavasiliou, of the Rotaract Club of Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

A panel discussed the challenges and opportunities of allowing younger Rotarians into clubs worldwide. Throughout the question-and-answer segment that followed, there was quite a discussion about how to engage young professionals. Many great ideas were suggested, such as creating community-based Rotaract clubs or local satellite e-clubs to recruit members, as well as not being afraid to let younger members bring new ideas and energy to the club. Throughout this discussion, I couldn’t help but think of a program my own club started five years ago that allowed us to partner with our sponsor club, the Rotary Club of Birmingham, and bridge the gap between the young professionals in our club and …read more

Source:: Rotary International Blog