What is a responsible Rotarian?

Who really said "You are what you eat?". Let us stop to think about it... is it really the case? On the other hand, sociologists also say that "You are judged by the friends you keep". And still, "If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck... then, definitely it is a duck". Honestly, we all wonder why these statements were made, if not to prove a certain spur-of-the-moment point. Alas, they are common phrases which we quote from time to time.

What are my responsibilities as a Rotarian? From a point blank perspective, the responsibilities can be broadly categorized as: attendance, service, finding and keeping members, payment of dues and leadership.

RC Kilifi members during a weekly meeting.

As a Rotarian, my biggest responsibility is attending the scheduled weekly club meetings and actively participating in its activities. The beauty of attending the meetings is having fellowship with other members, enriching our professional and personal knowledge through the contacts we make, and meeting other business leaders in our community. Even during the formative years, club meetings, assemblies, training seminars and conferences have always been an opportunity to make new acquaintances and spread peace and goodwill throughout the world. In the spirit of brotherhood/sisterhood, guests are encouraged to visit other Rotary Clubs to get a chance to make up for lost meetings in their parent club, and also to see how things are done in host clubs. Ideas are never copied; they are just adopted and adapted to suit local conditions.

Food chain during the successful food drive for Kilifi
District residents in early 2009.

Serving the community through Rotary stems out from the motto: Service above self. Rotary gives all members a chance to participate in local and international service projects by volunteering their time and talents whenever possible. Through its flexible structure, members serve the community (and club) through the five avenues of service: Club Service, Vocational Service, Community Service, International Service, and New Generations Service. All these five pillars are run by dedicated members who always rise up to the occasion at hand and deliver without fail. Decisions are made after lengthy discussions based on strategic goals, and duties performed to high ethical standards in order to improve the quality of life in the local and global community. The youth and young adults are greatly encouraged to join in and participate in Rotary activities due to the foreseen positive changes that will be instilled in them through leadership development activities, service projects, and exchange programs.

Rotarian Kate (current Club Treasurer) during her induction.

"Reach one, Keep one" is a simple but powerful phrase. Every Rotarian is encouraged to bring new and like-minded people into the club for meetings, or to participate in a service project.  The best way to motivate a potential member to join Rotary after the initial invitation is to encourage them to utilize their talents and expertise in service beyond their normal professional activities. But then, how do we keep membership attrition rates low?  Sustaining membership is a challenge in this dynamic world that all clubs face, but solutions can be generated to suit particular situations.

Annual dues are an obligation to each registered member. The dues go to sustain the Rotary clubs, districts and Rotary International, as well as the subscription fee to the appropriate Rotary magazine. A simple solution to mitigate the seemingly high dues would be to stagger the payment over the Rotary year period. Regular reminders to contributing members also serve as an impetus for them to contribute to the worthy cause of humanitarian aid. Apart from these dues, other contribution schemes exist, including the Every Rotarian Every Year (EREY), Friends of Rotary, and the Paul Harris Fellowship (PHF). While these other schemes are not obligatory, members are highly encouraged to contribute towards sustaining The Rotary Foundation.

Some people are born leaders, some leaders are created through cultivation. There is virtually a position for every Rotarian in the club, and members are always encouraged to volunteer for leadership roles at club level and beyond. No leader works in isolation, and all members are available to support the leader of the team as the club makes its way through service projects. The greatest joy in the team is when a daunting task is surmounted, and smiles are seen on the faces of the community that has been touched by a Rotary-sponsored project.

Donation of a laptop to Charo, member of the
Kilifi visually impaired group.