New Taipei City club creates happiness in name and spirit
When Roger Chin-Wei Tung was tasked in 2014 with starting a new Rotary club to attract younger members, he chose an aspirational goal for the club — and the name to go with it. “Three new clubs were being chartered in our district,” says Tung, who was a member of the Rotary Club of Lin Kou at the time. “One chose the name ‘Elite’ and another ‘Excellent.’ I chose ‘Happiness.’ I wanted our club to create happiness, a place to form lifelong friendships and build a spiritual connection through community service.”
Tung had seen the impact that Rotary membership could have on well-being after he began attending meetings of the Lin Kou club in New Taipei City in 2009. He initially went out of a sense of obligation to the Rotary families that supported a language immersion program he ran. “Then I realized I had found a family of like-minded people, and I quickly got hooked,” he recalls. “Along life’s journey, if you meet friends who share your interests and values, your sense of happiness grows.”
He drew inspiration for the Rotary Club of Formosa Happiness (“formosa,” meaning “beautiful” in Portuguese, is the name explorers gave Taiwan in the 16th century) from Taiwan’s growing corporate movement to promote a culture of well-being. In 2013, encouraged by the government, about 1,600 Taiwanese companies signed a declaration to improve workplace happiness and address public dissatisfaction with working conditions.
Ryan Yu-Tsung Chiang (in red shirt), president of the Rotary Club of Formosa Happiness, enjoys a walk in a park with members of the club. Roger Chin-Wei Tung (back, center), the charter president, envisioned the club as a place where members could find happiness through friendships built around service.
Image credit: An Rong Xu
“While productivity and competitiveness matter, many companies realized that happy employees perform better,” says Tung, the club’s charter president. “At Rotary, we came to the same conclusion — happy members create stronger clubs. Since our success will be measured by member happiness, we coined a term for it: ‘happi-tivity.’”
The club’s guiding slogan captures that spirit: Create a happy city, build international connections through service, inspire the younger generation, and ignite passion in Rotary.
That philosophy continues to shape the group under Club President Ryan Yu-Tsung Chiang, a second-generation Rotarian who works in the long-term care industry. Since taking office in July, Chiang has emphasized a family-centered approach to social activities and service.
Most of the club’s 56 members are working professionals with families and children, so the members design social events and service projects with a strong family focus. “Members and their families are encouraged to participate together,” he explains. “When spouses meet and collaborate on projects, their shared interests strengthen bonds, and happiness multiplies.”
For example, during the summer when children are off school, the club organizes baseball outings or two-day trips to Sun Moon Lake — activities that attract members and their families. In the fall, one of the club’s signature programs, Children of Happiness, provides after-school tutoring and companionship for students from underprivileged families.
Each year, the club allocates roughly 30 percent of its budget to social events and 40 percent to community service. And Chiang has combined the categories, integrating fun and service to strengthen participation and camaraderie.
Design your club
If you’re thinking about starting a new club, start by looking at the types of clubs in the district, the club experiences that aren’t being offered, and which target audiences aren’t represented in the district’s membership. Or, design your ideal club — for example, one that meets less frequently, is more affordable, does service often, has fun, offers growth. Then find others with similar interests.
In general, look for:
- Communities with recognized needs
- Groups of people and professions that haven’t been recruited yet
- Rotary alumni (former Rotaract and RYLA participants, vocational training team members, Rotary Scholars, etc.)
- Young adults, women, and people from ethnic minority groups or other underrepresented groups
For more about how to start a club, connect with prospective members, and make new members feel welcome, visit rotary.org/membership.
This family-centered approach has doubled or even tripled participation. “We now get over 100 participants per event,” Chiang notes. “When families are willing to participate, they create an incentive for the members to engage in club projects.”
Rotary members are building meaningful connections, but so are their families. “Our children make new friends, and that creates a larger network,” Chiang says. “Sometimes, when a member can’t attend an event, their spouse comes instead.”
The club’s after-school tutoring program, for example, is primarily run by members’ spouses and children. Chiang’s wife chairs the program, and his children volunteer as tutors. “At a time when our society faces a loneliness epidemic,” Chiang says, “we’re creating happiness and connection, not just for members, but for their families. It’s multilayered.”
The club has also sponsored Taiwan’s Special Olympics basketball team for several years, covering travel expenses for international competitions, purchasing uniforms and supplies, and hosting games with members of the community. “Through sports, these young athletes gain confidence and purpose in life,” Chiang says. “When they return home with medals, we celebrate them as heroes. It’s deeply rewarding to see their happy faces.”
Chiang also uses family-oriented activities to attract new members, especially young couples who often struggle to balance family and civic commitments. “We’re the perfect club,” he says. “We make it easy for them to volunteer without sacrificing family time.”
For example, on 8 August — Father’s Day in Taiwan — the club hosted a family cupcake-making event that drew dozens of new faces, thanks in part to a local social media influencer. “We followed up personally with parents who expressed interest in Rotary,” Chiang says. “If someone shows initiative, we welcome them immediately.”
That approach is paying off: Chiang has already met his goal of 10 percent membership growth this year. And the Formosa Happiness club is preparing to sponsor another club — Formosa Harmony — dedicated to the same ideals of service, community, and joy.
“Service enhances happiness,” Chiang says. “Giving back while you’re still able brings spiritual fulfillment. When you involve your family, that fulfillment deepens.”
This story originally appeared in the December 2025 issue of Rotary magazine.