Service companion club grows membership

Rotary members Fred Bemenderfer and James Thomas help volunteer and school secretary Sandra Pugh deliver boxes of meals to families in need at a local elementary school.

By Alex Johnson, Rotary Club of Plano West, Texas, USA, and Rotary Coordinator Zone 25B & 29

As I stepped into my role as president of the Plano West Rotary Club on a scorching summer day in 2020, I was faced with a daunting challenge. The club had been steadily losing members for a decade and had only 21 left. What’s more, the COVID-19 pandemic had forced us into lockdown, rendering most plans and strategies useless. But I wasn’t one to back down, I had a vision for turning things around.

A fundraiser that attracts new members

Furniture awaits a buyer in the Rotary Club of Boothbay Harbor barn.

By Marty Peak Helman, Rotary Foundation Trustee and member of the Rotary Club of Boothbay Harbor, Maine, USA

During the pandemic, the Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club found a way to double the proceeds of its largest fundraiser AND use it to engage current members and attract new ones.

If that sounds like a fantasy, read on.

Invite a friend, recruit a future president

Members of the Rotary Club of Norfolk, Virginia, organize donated books for a preschool library they created.

By Sally Kirby Hartman, past president of the Rotary Club of Norfolk, Virginia, USA

Until 2007, my Rotary knowledge consisted of spotting “Rotary Meets Here” signs on the edges of small towns.

Then two Rotary Club of Norfolk members invited me to learn about their club. I didn’t know the club president and club member who treated me to breakfast. But their enthusiasm for Rotary made me eager to know more.

Do good to everyone, no matter who they are

Rotaract allowed Pietro Oliveira da Silva to discover more freedom, meet new people, and step out of a personal comfort zone.

By Pietro Oliveira da Silva, Vice President and Project Director of the Rotaract Club of Guaramirim, Brazil; and Director of Diversity and Inclusion, District 4652

Our first years of life are often defined by our parents. If born a boy, we play with toy cars, wear dark clothes, and take soccer classes. If born a girl, we wear pink clothes, have ribbons in our hair, play with dolls, and take ballet classes. This is the normal pattern deeply rooted in society. Our parents were raised this way and raise their children the same way, following these standards.

Since I was 8 or 9 years old, I already felt different. I wanted to wear my brother’s clothes, play soccer with the boys at school. I wanted to feel free, without having to worry about choosing fancy clothes or braiding my hair.

Creating a great club experience

By Tom Gump, aide to 2024-25 RI President Stephanie Urchick and a member of Rotary International’s Membership Growth Committee

Tom Gump

My favorite month of the year is August because that is when Rotary focuses on membership. As a membership organization, we recognize that our members are our biggest asset. When Rotary membership is strong, our clubs are thriving, we are more visible, and our members have more resources to help their communities.

That is why growing our membership is one of our top priorities. How do we grow membership? Luckily, we don’t have to approach this question in a vacuum. A number of Rotary International surveys have confirmed that the single most important factor in member satisfaction is the club experience.