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 Five
Ways To Strengthen Your Rotary Club
By Arnold R. Grahl
Strengthening your club can be easy. Every Rotarian is capable of
taking a few simple steps -- such as picking up the phone and
inviting a friend or colleague to a meeting -- to help improve
member recruitment and retention, a priority of the RI Strategic
Plan.
Mark Mann, president of the Rotary Club of Bricktown Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma, USA, is a firm believer in that philosophy. As an
assistant to a politician in Oklahoma, Mann had been to plenty of
civic group meetings, but joining a Rotary club was the furthest
thing from his mind -- until a friend invited him. Mann soon
discovered that the club wasn't like other groups.
"I tried it out for a couple of weeks and decided it was a good fit
for me," says Mann, who joined Rotary in 2004. "I've been here ever
since."
We asked Rotary coordinators for a few simple ways that Rotarians
can strengthen their clubs. Their suggestions include:
1. Take a survey of club members to determine what the club does
well, what it could do better, and what else it could be doing.
Schedule a board meeting to discuss the results and determine a plan
of action.
2. Design your club website with public relations in mind. Make sure
you provide accurate information, with your club's name and meeting
time and place prominently displayed on the home page. Ask yourself:
Does this website help visitors understand Rotary?
3. Plan at least one project each year that reaches beyond anything
your club has done before. Be sure to promote the event in local
media. Join with other clubs in your district and apply for an RI
Public Relations Grant to promote Rotary on a larger scale.
4. Create a long-term vision for your club. A strategic plan
provides a framework for setting goals and ensures continuity. It
can also help your club increase membership, enhance Rotary's public
image, and carry out more effective projects.
5. Pick up the phone and invite a friend, colleague, client, or
service provider to a meeting. Many people join Rotary only after
seeing firsthand the spirit of fellowship at club meetings and the
commitment to community service.
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