As a two year Rotary member I was first impressed with the friendliness and welcoming nature of the group to me as a new member. I immediately felt that these were my people. My first year was spent participating in as many of the club activities that the group had planned that I possibly could and getting to know the members. Each activity and social gathering offered new insights into the work and values of Rotary and the members. Participating is how I learned our local club did the work and service we are so well known for in our community.
This second year has been exploring the deeper aspects of the history, purpose and possibilities. I expressed interest in the board and became a board member. I studied the Rotary Foundation and the important work done under its umbrella and became a Paul Harris Fellow. I was invited to write the newsletters for the club which have helped me to look at the club from a communication perspective and possibilities.
I studies other groups newsletters, studies the District website and dove deeper into the Rotary International website. I discovered a treasure trove of learning materials that are excellent in content on their website.
I found I could learn more about Rotary's history, organization and values, professional development, leadership in the organization, more about what Rotary does around the world and so much about the strong values in place in Rotary. I learned how it functions throughout the world with and what offers to humanity, health, well being and peace in the world, our country, state, and communities. The website depth demonstrates the commitment to members clearly understanding what Rotary is and offering transparent, indepth learning for development in the organization, relationships we build and the service we provide.
The richness of being a member of this dynamic organization deepens each year I am a member and I have a feeling, this is just the tip of the iceberg, The more I explore the more intrigued I become about Rotary's impact on our world.
This is an excellent resource to learn more about the organization and where your interests, skills and abilities fit best and how to integrate who you are as a community leader and who you want to become as a member of Rotary.
If you haven't already, start by creating an account at:
https://my.rotary.org/ and explore. The site is very well organized, intuitive to navigate and informative. I have spent entire days learning and studying and always end with more that looks interesting.
There is a specific Learning Center to learn about Rotary, Club Leadership, District Leadership, the history of Rotary International, Rotary leadership, professional leadership and development, how service is delivered, the purpose of each level in the organization, etc. They each are well developed and information is fresh and kept up to date.
The commitments the organization makes to ensure the world becomes a better place are monumental to say the least. I can see why people become lifetime members. I truly believe Rotary is a model for humanity and world peace.
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