Your voice, your solution for getting members involved

At 9:06AM on 4 December 2009, Ignacio S. León (Spain) wrote: Its needed more Marketing & Communications Budget in order to be presented, knowed and linked to People

At 1:04PM on 16 July 2009, Angelito Pua, RC Manila Midtown D 3810 wrote: Adopt a school, health center or a permanent place for all club's projects. This will enable any Rotarian (member) to visit anytime at their convenience and during specified club's schedule of activities. Suggested projects; feeding program, livelihood projects, values formation seminars, projects that will improve the conditions of community being served and members favorite projects.. Rotarians may celebrate their birthdays doing projects for the community instead of spending for a lavish party. "Enjoy Rotary and Be A Friend to everyone you meet."

At 3:57PM on 26 February 2009, linda Coble, D5000 Hawaii wrote: When I was President of the Rotary Club of Honolulu, I noticed many of our nearly 400 members were not involved in our 50 or more committees. Those who didn't sign on, were automatically placed on a new committee, called RSVP (Rotary Service Volunteer Pool). When committees needed volunteers for projects or events, they called RSVP members. It worked well, because many of the members on RSVP had never been asked personally to participate, and once engaged, were thankful and continued to stay involved.

At 9:58AM on 20 November 2008, Stephen O'Neill wrote: Our club is comprised of older members who are very active in club projects. So, we have them explain the new project and its benefits to the newer members plus talk about past projects that we have done and the benefits to our club and the community. Once we start a project, we try to make it as fun as possible. We take breaks and eat and we have members that entertain us. Everyone has a good time and before you know it the project is over and everyone is in the mood to start another project. After the project is over, we have the newer members report about the project and what they felt about it , the good and the bad. This feedback helps us with setting up the next project.

At 3:17PM on 17 November 2008, Rick Tinucci wrote: The best way to get club members involved is through creating a vision of the desired outcomes. What ever the service project, make sure members are aware of the benefit created when they participate and are envolved. It is also important to understand that not all members are equally interested in all service activities. Therefore, it is necessay to have an on going list of projects in which they can participate. We have found the more opportunities for service created, the more different members participate. Finally, publically recognizing those that have given of their time often raises interest and particatption from other club members. This can be done during a club meeting or (and) as part of your club newletter.

At 12:23PM on 17 November 2008, PP Philippe Nassan. RC Baabda/Lebabnon/D2450 wrote: Service Projects are the most reflective of "Service Above Self". Start recruiting new members, then, involve them in this strategic committee , then , add experienced rotarians of your club, and you will get an explosive motivated team.

At 9:00AM on 12 November 2008, Brett Coffee wrote: Our club has a number of events, and there never seems to be the same people at any one event. There seems to be a mix of reasons why, with time being one of the most prominent. Often times, people are at other community events or service projects when club projects are happening. Sometimes work presents a very real conflict. For our club, it seems that enough people turn out to enough events that our events are pretty well attended. We'd always like more people to attend, and we'd like more members to draw from. And younger members are always appreciated. But at the end of the day, the most meaningful Rotary projects are the ones that mean a lot to the people involved. Usually those are not the place where we need the most people, but are the place where we touch lives most directly. Sometimes they're the hardest, but they bring out the best in Rotarians and keep them coming back for more. If our projects really touch people's lives, the rest should follow closely behind.

At 9:50AM on 11 November 2008, patricia Jamieson wrote: When a mass appeal to members for help with specific projects failed, requests made on a one to one basis met with a 'YES' from all those members approached!

At 10:06AM on 11 November 2008, Linda Coble, D5000 Hawaii wrote: Not all Rotarians 'sign up' to serve on committees. You may want to create a new committee called RSVP...Rotary Service Volunteer Pool...and place all members, who have not volunteered to serve on a committee, on the RSVP committee. That is the first committee chairs will turn to, when they need volunteers for a particular service project. You'd be surprised how eager and willing RSVP committee members are, because, perhaps for the first time, they have been personally asked to pitch in and help.

At 1:10PM on 10 November 2008, Lisa Mueller wrote: I am the publicist for District 7250 and I have seen a great increase in participation, when events are properly communicated. When the club communication is "broken" then the club cannot function. Another thing is true for us, that everything is done here in a "New York minute". But those minutes are precious, and if you can involve members and their families, you will have better success. Yours in Rotary, Lisa Mueller - RotaryDistrict7250@yahoo.com

At 1:15PM on 10 November 2008, Raymond Peralta wrote: I normally make commitees and ask them to choose from the members and give them tasks...

At 1:18PM on 10 November 2008, Amjad Ali R C Jhang Sadar Pakistan wrote: some members of club are relactant to collect fund for any project they should asked to plan a matching grant case for that very project then the interest of such a members will be enhanced

At 1:33PM on 10 November 2008, manju gupta wrote: Psychologically I prepare them for doing some social work to be relaxed; emotionally I blackmail them becoz I want them to be involved once and develop this habit of being involved; sociologically I make them realized that their support may bring happiness among those who are deprived or deseased are the

At 1:34PM on 10 November 2008, Euly Bona, RID 3870, Mindanao, Phil. wrote: Actually service projects are not appreciated by members because it lacks publicity to the members and fame to the club. Maybe the best thing to do is have the project made public and give all members recognition to their efforts. At the end of the period all the members who participated in the project must be given awards to boost their egos.

At 4:21PM on 7 November 2008, Linda Johnson wrote: When I was the President of my club I heavily fined anyone who did not participate in a project. In order to account for who did and who did not particapte, I created calling cards with each member's name. At the project site they had to ask me for their card. At the end of the project I fined the members who's cards I still held. The second project had way fewer fines!

At 12:10PM on 6 November 2008, Glenn Bogart wrote: All of the above comments reinforce one of the basic tenets of being a Rotarian. Service projects connect us to the community, nation, and the world. "Service above self" characterizes the true Rotarian as opposed to the weekly lunch Rotarian.

At 10:20AM on 5 November 2008, Rtn.PHF.President.V.B.Muruganandan wrote: This is because... either... they feel that those projects are lesser important than their work ... or.. their work is more important than these projects.....! The very basic principle of being a Rotarian .. is .. to some extend .. they should have the service mind ...by physically or financially or mentally... a combination of three .. or atleast one ...! If those Rotarians , who dont participate but contribute financially .. then it's ok . Somehow they have made their contribution.. ! But if they dont contribute .. in any one of these 3 ways... what's the use of being a Rotarian.. ? Nothing. First .. attract them ..By showcasing the various aspects of Rotary.. second. educate them.. the very importance of being a service minded person... third.. motivate them ... to be a role model for others... Fourth.... induce them to have a public image by means of services.. Fifth . provide them good opportunities as they expected .. Sixth.. make them experience the real joy of sharing .. through money and mind... ! As a big mountain can be demolished by means of a small chisel.. why not a human being .. who is made of flesh and blood....?? Serve others..... to serve God.. ! Rotary wishes Rtn.PHF.President. V.B.Muruganandan Rc ot Tirupur Thirumuruganpoondi India

At 10:15AM on 5 November 2008, RTN. SYED AZMATULLAH RC: CHENNAI PHOENIX RD: 3230 wrote: Lack of particpation in Service Projects by one-third of members may be due to their lack of conviction of Rotary principles. Regular program on Rotary Basics is one way to inculcate Rotary principles. Adopting and adhering to CLP are also hopeful ways of solutions to the problem.

At 12:19PM on 4 November 2008, Bob Higgins wrote: Rotarians are ordinary people and they share the same human needs as the rest of the population. Group dynamics is probably the area where this club needs to pay attention. How do they get themselves back into the ‘Storming Mode’, to use a team building analogy? There is no simple answer to this and it is probably going to take some hard work. At one end of the scale it could be that the project has not been communicated effectively or it does not address a community need. Change the delivery, get engagement and ownership or abandon the project and start again. At the other end of the scale the club probably needs to be re-launched and to take itself through the same process that any new club would do at its inception. This may involve a new meeting time, a new meeting venue, dispensing with a meal, dispensing with some of the rituals and refocusing on the core values of local and international service, together with high ethical standards. There will probably be some pain and some casualties during this process but if done properly it will pay dividends in the future - until it has to be done again!

At 12:20PM on 4 November 2008, emeka onohwakpor wrote: we have this problem of non participation in service projects by members. Once we had a polio awareness walk once we made it known that we had a band of sax players with other musicals the turnout improved. ( Ikoyi Metro. Distric 9110)

At 8:59AM on 4 November 2008, Rtn PP P.R.Aruloli, Technical Advisor, TRF of TRI. Club-Chennai Phoenix. wrote: When I was a President, there was an Service project in association with Service Civil International involving 15 foreign volunteers and there was a need to involve the club in good strength and I invoked the participation of another Club in a Joint Community Service project on the same date and combined the Club Service Family participation meeting at the end of the day at a location far off from the city and it helped in better participation. Thus on one day we were in a position to cover Club Service, Community Service, Vocational Service and International Service resulting in participation by members who normally abstain from participating in service projects.

At 9:53AM on 4 November 2008, SATHYAN.TS wrote: Explain clearly about the importance & necessity of service projects and how it helps society and themselves. Also give them some hint about the services and advise them the fact that brings self respect to participants involving service projects.

At 9:54AM on 4 November 2008, Precy dela Cruz wrote: I will call them one by one to give their importance to the project, likewise, their attendance in project evaluation after , while having fellowship. As an all women club, we usually chat and sing over a few shots of red wine, thus, confirmed attendance in district affairs follows

At 2:57PM on 3 November 2008, Bob Pfahnl wrote: First, ASK them what turns them on and then find the task that fulfulls it. Second, let them know that they are NEEDED to make the project successful. Third, make it FUN. Talk it up and include activities that will make it a CAN'T MISS event.