Background:
The Wiarton Rotary Club has a very successful and ambitious series of events each year, which have benefited from the support of volunteers in the community. The Club has also recognized that many of the volunteers and other community supporters are not currently in a position to fully commit to the responsibilities of membership of Rotary.
In an effort to enable people who support the ideals of Rotary, but are unable to commit to full membership, the Club is implementing the concept of "Friends of Rotary". This concept has been successfully implemented in many clubs throughout the world.
Objective of Program:
The Friends of Rotary Program has been designed as an avenue by which individuals can become involved with the Rotary Club of Wiarton, but it is not a substitute for full membership with the Club.
The main objective of the Program is to enable people who support the ideals of Rotary, but are unable to commit to full membership, to participate in and contribute to the service and fund raising projects and activities of the Rotary Club of Wiarton and to enjoy the fellowship of other members and friends.
To ensure that objectives are met, each Friend of Rotary will be mentored by other Club members and membership will be reviewed each year to ensure that mutual expectations are being met, including whether a Friend is ready to move to Club membership.
Prospective Friends of Rotary may include:
- Younger, career focused individuals with an interest in community service, networking and fundraising, who may or may not have had previous experience of Rotary.
- Individuals with some previous experience of Rotary such as former RYLA students, Interact members and Rotary Exchange students.
- Partners, relatives and friends of Club members, former members of the Rotary Club of Wiarton or other Rotary Clubs & partners of deceased members.
Entitlements/Benefits include:
- Being welcomed formally as a Friend of the Rotary Club of Wiarton with a name tag.
- Able to attend up to ten (10) Rotary Club of Wiarton regular Meetings during each Rotary (financial) year, to enjoy fellowship with Club members and hear top class speakers at your own cost.
- Contribute your knowledge and experience to the Club and its activities.
- Provide assistance to both local and international communities by participating in Rotary projects.
- Network with Club members, their partners and other Friends from a wide range of professional, business and community backgrounds.
- Receive electronic copies of the Club’s Weekly Newsletter.
- Be covered by Rotary insurance when participating in any Club service projects or activities provided that the Friend signs on to any such projects.
- Learn more about Rotary and move on to membership of the Club, if the opportunity arises, by successfully completing the procedures for such membership.
Your Role as a Friend of Rotary:
- Participate, where possible, in and/or assist with projects and activities of the Club by providing hands on assistance and/or by providing financial assistance, particularly with regard to the many major fund raising and community assistance projects conducted by the Club.
- Attend, if possible, up to 10 regular Club Meetings each Rotary (financial) year.
- Be encouraged and mentored as required by a Club member to ensure that mutual expectations are being met.
- Pay an annual fee of $50 per person to cover administrative costs. This fee will be prorated toward your full membership fee if you become a member of Rotary during the year that you paid your FOR fee.
Exceptions with a Friend of Rotary Membership:
A Friend of Rotary has a formal association with the Club, which provides an avenue to participate in and contribute to Club projects and activities, but a Friend of Rotary is not a member of the Rotary Club of Wiarton and therefore not entitled to the rights of, or subject to the responsibilities of membership, as provided by the Constitution and By-laws of the Club.
Specifically Friends of Rotary will:
- Have no voting rights relating to decisions made by the Club.
- Not be entitled to serve as an office holder in the Club including membership on the Club’s Board or Director of a Club committee.
- Only be entitled to wear the Friend of Rotary name tag.
- Be entitled to be a Friend of Rotary for a period of up to 2 years before they will be encouraged to become a full member of the Club.
Responsibilities of the Club:
The Rotary Club of Wiarton, through its Membership Director, will:
- Appoint a Mentor, normally a nominator, to maintain contact with each Friend of Rotary member, to assist the new Friend of Rotary to meet their needs and encourage them to participate in and support Club projects and activities, to monitor such involvement and to keep the Membership Committee advised accordingly.
- Provide a formal welcome to the new Friend of Rotary and present them with a Friend of Rotary Club of Wiarton name tag.
- Ensure that each Friend of Rotary is included on the Club’s database so that they are provided with electronic copies of the Club’s Newsletter.
- Ensure that the Membership Committee, on an annual basis, reviews each Friend of Rotary member and determines whether their participation in the Program should be continued for a further term.
To get the ball rolling you will need to:
- Tell a Club Member or our Club Secretary that you are interested in being nominated and accepted, as a Friend of the Rotary Club of Wiarton. A Nomination Form is available from the Secretary and will be referred to the Chair of the Membership Committee for further processing.
- Agree on the nature and level of your participation in and support for Club projects and activities, which needs to be included in the Nomination Form so that the Club can best match your interests.
- Once notified of your acceptance as a Friend of Rotary, pay the required annual fee to the Club Treasurer.
