What Comes after Membership

 

Service as an Object of Rotary

Previous to this, my reports have been based around Membership. What we have to do to attract new members and the best methods of retaining them once they've joined. We've learnt from this, if all Members are treated well and have involvement in the Club, friendships form, communication occurs and this helps to create a vibrant Club.
 
Let's now turn our attention to the next most important step within our Club, this being Service.
 
These principles have been developed over the years to provide Rotarians with a strong, common purpose and direction. They serve as a foundation for our relationships with each other and the acts of service we do in the world.
 

The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:

·        FIRST: The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;
·        SECOND: High ethical standards in business and professions with an opportunity for each vocation to serve society.
·        THIRD: The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business, and community life;
·        FOURTH: The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
 

Rotary's Avenues of Service

We channel our commitment to service at home and abroad through five Avenues of Service, which are the foundation of club activity.
 
·        Club Service focuses on making clubs strong. A thriving club is anchored by strong relationships and an active membership development plan.
·        Vocational Service calls on every Rotarian to work with integrity and contribute their expertise to the problems and needs of society. 
·        Community Service encourages every Rotarian to find ways to improve the quality of life for people in their communities and to serve the public interest. 
·        International Service exemplifies our global reach in promoting peace and understanding. We support this service avenue by sponsoring or volunteering on international projects, seeking partners abroad, and more.
·        Youth Service recognizes the importance of empowering youth and young professionals through leadership development programs such as RotaractInteractRotary Youth Leadership Awards, and Rotary Youth Exchange.
 
Service plays an integral role in Rotary.  To strengthen the friendships and relationships we make at a Club level, I encourage you to take the next step and be active in avenues of Service.
 
It's not until you donate some of your hard earned spare time that you realise how worthy these Avenues of Service are.  The feeling you experience knowing you are helping others who may be less fortunate than yourselves, is indescribable.
 
For those of us who have full time work commitments, often coming to our Breakfasts is all we can do.  However, I encourage you, when and if you can, to get involved with one of our Club's Avenues of Service.  Remembering also, there is a commitment when you're invited to join Rotary that you do participate in Service Projects.
 
There is nothing like wearing your Rotary shirt at a Rotary Stall at our local Chilli Festival and being approached by an international Rotarian from South Africa.  Immediately there is that feeling of talking to one of us, someone who has a commonality despite the tyranny of distance.  This is achieved by Acts of International Service providing that global reach, promoting peace and making the world a smaller place.  Rotary does that via International Service.
 
Remember, making friends that become lifelong friendships is enhanced further when we Serve together.  Let's build on the vibrancy of our Club and make a difference by Serving together to help ourselves, the community we live in, and ultimately the entire world.
 
 
Have a great rest of the week and I look forward to seeing you at the next Meeting.  Remember, it's our Annual General Meeting.  One not to be missed.  We will be electing the Office Bearers for the next Rotary Year under the Presidency of Bernie and accepting the Financial Reports of 2016-17.