Membership – The Annual Rotary Challenge

It seems that as August rolls around every year we, the Rotarians, try to find new and inventive ways to promote “membership” into Rotary. Perhaps we are going about this all wrong. 

Rotary is, without dispute, the oldest service organisation in the world. It was recently pointed out to me that Rotary CREATED the concept of a “service organisation” like Rotary. There are other service organisations like us that have been created “in our image” over the past several years. They have club meetings, district governors, directors and trustees and even foundations. They have copied us in every possible way and we should be flattered that our Rotary model is their model. They are “clones” of Rotary. 

Of course, the one aspect of Rotary they cannot copy is the fact that there is only one original! 

Recently I was asked why Rotary had been passed in size by one of our “clones.”  I thought about it for a few moments. We have to ask ourselves the question “Why join a copy with the original still in place?” Here are a few comparisons: 

Rotary meets weekly (in most cases) while some of the other service clubs meet once or twice per month. Why is this important? We began for fellowship and we continue for service. The more we meet, the more we can fellowship and, quite frankly, the more we can serve. 

Rotary is a bit more expensive. Like most things in life, you get what you pay for. The training programme in Rotary is second-to-none and Rotary leaders are exemplary in both integrity and example. From club presidents all the way to Rotary directors and The Rotary Foundation trustees, preparation for leadership is an integral part of the Rotary life. Training, of course, has a price tag. 

Rotary requires participation. There are, in every club, the “RINOS” (Rotarians in name only) but the vast majority of Rotarians around the globe are busy people. They are busy in their vocation; busy with their family; busy in their faith and busy in Rotary. One club recently lost a member after many years of Rotary membership. He had sat on the sidelines for years watching other Rotarians participate in projects while he sent employees to “do his part” at a club project. When somebody handed him a shovel and suggested that he actually dig a hole to plant a tree, he became offended and ultimately resigned saying he was “too busy at work for Rotary.” The club members were sorry to see him go, but it did not affect the club activities in any way. 

So, what do we DO about membership? Quite frankly, we should keep our focus on Rotary service and show our communities who we are and what we do. We should talk about our service to our community – local and international. We should make sure that Rotary projects have a BOLD Rotary identification. We should wear our Rotary pins, hats, shirts, badges etc with great pride and let people SEE who we are and what we do. 

In high school our football coach put a sign above the locker-room door. It said:

“What you do speaks so loud I cannot hear a word you say.” 

Well, my fellow Rotarians, let’s make sure our actions speak loudly and membership “problems” will be a thing of the past! 

YIR,

IPDG Patrick Coleman

District 9210

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