Programme for the week commencing 15th January, 2015 – Rotary Awareness Month Rotarian Tim Mason wonders this week what is meant by Rotary Awareness:

• Does it mean that Rotarians ought to do more about finding out what Rotary can offer you as members?
• Or is it about telling others about Rotary and what it can offer them as we try to encourage them to join?
• Or is that Rotary is doing so much work in communities, everyone is aware because of the impact we have?

When I joined Rotary the most exciting thing was that I was joining an organisation that was international and had members in over 200 countries, I was welcome all over the world. So the challenge to all Rotarians is do you visit other Rotary Clubs? When on business or holiday do you try to meet with others who are in this world-wide network? I have found you can also link up with them through the internet and Social Media. Let’s use our Rotary connections to learn about other countries, their culture, their way of life and build friendships. Perhaps you might even find some time to join with them in a service project or some other activity, you will certainly get the best out of Rotary by connecting and knowing you’ve joined a network where you are welcome wherever you may go. If you ever get a chance to go to a Rotary International Convention do grab it, meeting so many Rotarians all in one place is mind boggling.

As a Rotarian have you explored Rotary as to what it can offer others who might want to join or you believe would really enjoy being part of our network? Click 4 Action eRotary wants to make our offer inclusive and we have a menu of opportunities. However if someone asked you ‘What is Rotary?’, what would your 5 minute answer be?

• Who started it?
• What have you gained from it?
• How much time is required?
• What are the Aims and Objectives?

Recruiting new people to Rotary is really important because an organisation that is bringing in new talents, passions and skills, will stay vibrant, modern and ready to take on new challenges. As new people join we have also a responsibility to make them more aware of Rotary, e.g. The Four Way Test and how this enables us to be an ethical organisation. So over this week use the Links on this website to explore Rotary some more and be ready to help understand what Rotary achieves in many different branches or areas of the world. Be ready to share with people who ask you ‘So What does Rotary do or achieve?’.

 
What we do want to see is that Rotary is a key partner in our communities. The Let’s Loop Swindon project, for example, has shown that by working with partners they understand more that when Rotary says it can achieve, it does so, and it is about caring by giving Service in the community. I go to so many meetings where I sit there thinking Rotary needs to be involved here: to enable us to do so, perhaps the question is – Has Rotary Awareness of the needs of the community and what the community partners can offer Rotary? With so much public funding being either reduced or withdrawn, Rotary can play a really vital part in working with others to help build community development, action and sustainability. It would be good if members or others reading this programme could just take a look at your local community:

• What are the needs?
• Who might be the partners?
• How might Rotary help?

Rotary Awareness Month is about our outward offer of Service in partnership with others to meet the needs, our ability to explain to others what Rotary does and how it can help in both personal development and community sustainability. Finally, you are now a member of an international organisation of 1.2 million members, so how do you connect with, meet and share Rotary Awareness with a network of like mind people?