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by Gerry Roberts,
PDG and Past President of Rotary E-Club One
As you will discover, starting a Rotary e-club is a major undertaking requiring knowledgeable, dedicated Rotarians, and requiring input from several sources to answer a multitude of questions and consider many ideas that could affect how well your Rotary e-club gets off the ground. Rotary is a hierarchical organization starting with the 17 member Board of Directors who work with the RI President in managing our worldwide body. Each Director is responsible for 2 of the 34 Zones in which some portion of the 531 Rotary Districts (around the world) reside, and each District has an annually elected leader known as a District Governor. Governors serve for one year, but are trained for more than two years prior to assuming their post. Each District Governor develops a team of dedicated Rotarians from within the District to assist him or her and it is to this team that I strongly direct your attention. Your new Rotary e-club must apply to the Governor for recognition as well as find a sponsor Rotary Club. Most Districts have a Club Development Chair or similarly titled person who can assist you in this process. You must develop a set of books for accounting for and disbursement of monies your club collects in terms of dues and such. The District Treasurer should be able to assist you with this and can tell you what the RI dues and District dues are for each Rotarian in your new E-Club. Also there is usually a District Website Chair who can assist in the development of your website, as well as counsel you on the makeup of the site and the ‘Do’s’ and ‘Do Not’s’ of such a site. Please remember that you are brand new to the District – your idea of establishing a Rotary e-club may not have been in the plans of the current or next Governor so some gentle persuasion may be needed, which can include the Governor’s volunteer staff too. New Rotary e-clubs will do well to take time to develop some close relationships with District members so that when you establish your e-club, it will work well from the start. The old saying of “Haste Makes Waste” truly applies to an e-club startup. In developing your service ideas, the District can help. There are usually appointed Chairs for Community Service, Club Service, International Service, Vocational Service and the newest Avenue of Service, Youth. There will be Chairs and committees for RYLA, Youth Exchange, Group Study Exchange, The Rotary Foundation (including Annual Giving, Permanent Fund, Donor Advised Funds, and the like), Interact, Rotaract, PolioPlus, Literacy, District Newsletter, PETS, Fellowships, and several more. Use these Chairs and committees to assist you in your program development. You will need to develop a method of measuring attendance and then reporting it to the District Secretary or the Attendance Secretary. You will have an Assistant Governor for your e-club, usually by geographic area, who is able assist you with navigating the District, Zone and upwards to Rotary International. Simply said – you need the District and the District needs you. Working together will make your life so much easier at the start, and later on, with good management, your e-club could become one of the premier clubs of your District, making all your effort invested in the startup effort, very worthwhile. “SERVICE ABOVE SELF” applies to all of Rotary, so adopt meaningful service projects that will involve and inspire your members. This, together with an online Clubhouse where fellowship and information exchange is constructive and enjoyable, will create the momentum you need to succeed. |
Starting
a Rotary E-Club?