Monday, October 31, 2011

Rotary Elixir, Week of September 26


 For the week of September 26, 2011



Here are some ideas to enhance the relationship with your Rotaract and Interact clubs:

1.      One-on-One mentorship is a priceless gift. Consider adopting such a program with your sponsored New Generations clubs.

2.      Ensure your Rotaract and Interact clubs are aware of, and work towards receiving the RI President’s Changemaker Award for 2011-2012.

3.      Encourage Rotarians to attend Rotaract and/or Interact meetings on a regular basis if they do not already do so.

4.      Consider a joint fundraiser with your junior clubs. While Rotarians may have more financial ability at our disposal, they have the energy and some great ideas, creating a perfect partnership to raise funds for both entities.

5.      Consider regular meetings of the club Presidents to encourage inter-club activities.

6.      Develop a web page on your district website or a separate website or social network for the clubs in the district. Many Interact clubs are unaware of others in the district.

7.      Invite a Rotaractor or Interactor to be a speaker/presenter at your club meeting.

8.      Include Rotaractors in your training seminars.

Building relationships is the cornerstone of the Rotary movement, but sadly we sometimes neglect those whom we do not see at our meetings on a weekly basis.
                                                                                                                     
If we do not nurture these relationships with our Rotaract and Interact clubs, where else will they have the opportunity to learn about the inner workings of Rotary?

What better way to make the transfer from Rotaract to Rotary than through a gradual and natural progression?


THE CHANGEMAKER AWARD

You can find the PDF file on the club website – www.clubrunner.ca/anguilla - at the right side, under “Download and Review.”

RI President-elect Kalyan Banerjee will introduce a new recognition, the Changemaker Award, to accompany the Presidential Citation during the 2011-12 Rotary year. 

Banerjee, who said he will encourage Rotarians to focus on change, explained that the Changemaker Award will recognize Rotary clubs that make an extraordinary impact through their work in the Avenues of Service. 

“In 2011-12, we shall recognize leaders and clubs and districts who carry the service of Rotary forward through all stages of [the Presidential] Citation and Changemaker awards,” said Banerjee.

To qualify for a Changemaker Award, clubs will


(1)    choose from a menu of activities and
(2)   complete a minimum number for each avenue.

All activities must be undertaken and completed between 1 July 2011 and 1 March 2012.


District governors will select three clubs in the district -- the top-performing small, medium, and large clubs -- to be entered into a zone and international competition, culminating in the opportunity to be recognized onstage at the 2012 RI Convention in Bangkok, Thailand.

Activities include


(1)   demonstrating a net gain in membership over three straight years (2009-12) for Club Service and
(2)   conducting a career counseling or vocational training program in the community for Vocational Service.

The 2011-12 Presidential Citation will recognize achievements related to


(1)   membership development and
(2)   contributing to The Rotary Foundation

It will feature club and district recognition categories. The top 15 districts and 15 clubs certified by governors and validated by RI will be recognized onstage at the 2012 convention.

Clubs will select from criteria such as


(1)   increasing the number of younger professionals in the club by 2 percent and
(2)    inducting RI or Rotary Foundation program alumni.

Districts will choose from a variety of goals, including 100 percent participation in the Annual Programs Fund.

For Banerjee, the Changemaker Award and Presidential Citation reinforce the work of each Rotarian throughout the year to make the world a better place through service.

2011-12 will be the year of the individual Rotarian, the year when we recognize and applaud all that they do for Rotary and for the lives of others whom they do not know and have not met,” said Banerjee during the farewell dinner banquet at the 2011 International Assembly.