I think back to when I joined Rotary in 1994, I was 32 years old. At that time, I had just moved back to Maitland after a 10-year hiatus in Sydney. I had started a small business and was keen to become involved in the local community. I was invited to attend our local traditional club. At first, I thought the singing of songs like “pack up your troubles in your old kit bag”, Grace and the National Anthem were a little strange along with the Sergeant of Arms fine session, the ringing of the gong and other traditional protocols. I was however more impressed by the calibre of the members, I thought I could learn a lot from, and indeed I did.
I put my focus on what we could and did achieve together as a Club. I was keen to share the benefits of being a Rotarian with others, and invited them along, but unfortunately many were focussed on the meeting protocols and not the outcomes. We must make it easier for prospective members to see past this and see themselves being involved in a way that has meaning for them.
While I believe the Object of Rotary and the Four Way test are important, they are not the first things to put in front of a prospective members. These principles have been developed over the years to provide Rotarians with a strong, common purpose and direction, to serve as a foundation for our relationships with each other and the action we take in the world. They are not an attraction tool, but they bind all Rotarians together.
Over my years in Rotary, I have enjoyed the opportunities I have had to be involved in many programs. One of the years I enjoyed the most was my years as Club President (see photo from 1999).
There are so many people who would love to be a part of what we do and what we achieve in the world. Inviting them to a meeting will not necessarily connect with our organisation and our achievements, but asking them to be involved in a project that sparks their interest just might be all it takes.
Identify prospective members, and get to know what they are interested in, what puts the ‘spark in their eyes’ and invite them to be involved in a way that has meaning to them. Wanting to be a formal part of Rotary and our work will naturally follow if we ASK and INVITE meaningful involvement.
Along with RC Tim Moore and our Assistant Rotary Coordinators, we are here to help Rotarians in engaging current members, attracting new members to develop vibrant clubs and meet their membership goals. We; ·
- Encourage innovative strategies for attracting and engaging members ·
- Support districts in new club development ·
- Help districts and clubs develop and implement strategic plans to reach their goals ·
- Make ourselves available to speak at District Training sessions for example Presidents Elect Training Session (PETS) and District Assembly.
Our contact details are on the last page. Please reach out if we can be of any assistance.
Check out the membership resources on Rotary.org by clicking here.