ROTARY CLUB OF VALLEJO CALIFORNIA, DISTRICT 5160

An Introduction to Rotary

Contents
* An International Organization
* Our Rotary Club
* Object of Rotary
* Four Avenues of Service
* Rotary International Foundation
* Four-Way Test
* Privileges of Membership
* Obligations of Membership
* Attendance
* Financial Commitment
* How members were Chosen
* Types of Membership
* Rotary Publications
* Our Activities

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Purpose of this Rotary Information Meeting is-

* To give you, an invited guest, a bird's eye view of Rotary.

* To let you know what you may expect of membership.

* To let you know what our club will expect of you as a member.

* To answer any questions that you might have about Rotary in general and our club in particular.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rotary is an International Organization
The first Rotary Club was organized in Chicago in 1905 by Paul P. Harris. This club met in rotation at the offices of the members, thus the name Rotary. There are now more than 27,000 Rotary Clubs with a total Rotary membership of over 1.2 million men and women. As a Rotarian, you will be a member of the Rotary Club of Vallejo, which in turn is a member of Rotary International.
The free world is divided into territories within which a group of clubs are associated. These territories are known as Rotary Districts.
There are 502 districts in the Rotary world (172 countries).
Our Club is in District 5160 which is comprised of 64 clubs.

Rotary International is governed by a president and board of directors elected from all over the world. Annually, each District elects a District Governor and each club elects its officers and directors.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Our Rotary Club

Each year we elect our officers. These officers conduct the general business of our Club.

Our President, with the approval of our Board of Directors, makes committee appointments based upon the following Avenues of Service:

* Club Service
* Community Service
* Vocational Service
* International Service
* Service to Youth-- "New Generations"

Each Rotarian is expected to participate in one of the Avenues of Service.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Object of Rotary

The object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster the following:

* First

The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service.

* Second

High ethical standards in business and professions; the
recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the
dignifying by each Rotarian of their occupation as an opportunity
to serve society.

* Third

The application of the ideal of service by every Rotarian to their
personal, business and community life.
* Fourth

The advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace
through a world of fellowship of business and professional people
united in the ideal of service.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

We Implement the Object of Rotary Through the Avenues of Service

CLUB SERVICE
The following are directed toward the internal functioning of the Club to maintain its health and vigor:

Membership, Club Bulletin,
Attendance, Rotary Information,
Sergeant-at-Arms, Classification,
Membership Development,
Program, Fellowship Activities,

VOCATIONAL SERVICE
Promotion of the ideal of service:

1. Adherence to and promotion of the highest ethical standards in all
   occupations.
   
2. Recognition of the worthiness to society of all useful
   occupations.
   
3. Contribution of one's vocational talents to the problems and needs
   of society.
   + Career Development
   + Vocational Awareness
   + Vocation at Work
   + Vocational Awards
   
   

COMMUNITY SERVICE
A club effort to improve the quality of life within the community.
Community Development by
+ Community projects
+ Community grants
+ Environmental Protection

INTERNATIONAL SERVICE
The promotion of many efforts to advance understanding, goodwill and the quality of life throughout the world.
+ International Youth Projects
+ World Fellowship Activities
+ Rotary Foundation
+ World Community Service

SERVICE TO YOUTH -- "New Generations"
One of the most rewarding opportunities available to Rotarians is that of working closely with the youth of our community.
+ Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA)
+ Youth Exchange Students
+  Interact 

The Rotary International Foundation

The goal of the Foundation is to further understanding and friendly relations among the world's people by funding educational and humanitarian programs including:

* Ambassadorial Scholarships
* Matching Grants
* Group Study Exchange
* Health, Hunger and Humanity (3-H) Grants
* Rotary Grants for Univ. Teachers to Serve in Developing Countries
* Grants for Rotary Volunteers
* PolioPlus Program
* Rotary Peace Programs

Several of these programs send scholars and volunteer workers abroad to study, learn about other cultures, offer assistance and promote goodwill within a host country.




The Four-Way Test of the things we Think, Say or Do

	Is it the TRUTH?
	Is it FAIR to all concerned?
	Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
	Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Your Privileges in Rotary

* The privilege of friendship with leaders

	in your community
	in neighboring cities
	all over the United States
	around the world

* The privilege of giving service to your community. * The privilege of developing international goodwill and understanding. * The privilege of helping build higher ethical standards within your vocation. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your Obligations in Rotary Participation To be a Rotarian you must give your time and talents to the following: in community work in social functions in Club and District activities Attendance 100% attendance is urged and honored in Rotary. To achieve this goal: attend each weekly meeting of our Club make up at another Rotary Club within 14 days before or after a missed meeting of our Club attend a District Institute, Assembly or Conference or a Rotary International Convention Try to attend 100% of our meetings! Try to stay for 100% of each meeting! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rotary Attendance Rules Attendance * Must be in attendance at least 60% of a meeting to receive credit. * Must attend or make up at least 60% of the regular meetings of the club. * Must attend at least 30% of the regular meetings of the club. * Failure to attend or make up four consecutive meetings automatically terminates membership. * Attendance percentages are calculated for the six month periods ending December 31 and June 30. Make Up * The time for making up a missed meeting is any time two weeks prior to or two weeks after the missed meeting. * Make up can be made by: Attending at least 60% of the regular meetings of another club or provisional club. Attending, at the direction of the club, a regular meeting of a Rotaract or Interact club or provisional Rotaract or Interact club. Attending a Convention of Rotary International, or selected other international regional or district conferences or assemblies. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your Financial Obligation Annual Dues                         $150.00 Meals and meeting expense   $650.00 whether you attend or not Recognitions                         $150.00 With a variable amount for support of Rotary Fundraising Projects and Contributions to Rotary Foundation a member can expect to spend  a total of about $1500.00 per year. The Rotary fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- How members are chosen as a Member of Rotary 1. A member of this Rotary Club sponsored your membership. 2. Our Classification Committee verified your occupation and agreed: that you hold an important position in your firm, that you are an outstanding leader in your vocation, and that the classification being loaned to you was open. 3. Our membership Committee verified your personal reputation both in your business and in the community. 4. Our Board of Directors approved your proposed Rotary membership. 5. Our entire membership also approved you as a new Rotarian. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Membership There are four types of membership in a Rotary Club. They are outlined below: Active or Additional Active Members selected for their leadership in the business or profession for which they are classified. Senior Active Former active member who automatically becomes Senior Active in one of the following ways: * Active in one or more Rotary clubs for at least 15 years. * At least 60 years of age with at least 10 years active membership. * At least 65 years of age with 5 or more years of active membership. * Being present or past officers of Rotary International. Past Service Members who have retired from their vocation prior to joining Rotary Members who have retired and had held active membership for at least three years but not yet eligible for senior active. Honorary Non-voting members elected because of distinguished service in furthering Rotary ideals. Ineligible to hold office, they must be re elected annually for membership. Rotary Publications Rotary International publishes a monthly regional newsletter called The Rotarian. It is well worth reading and contains the following: * news of Rotary around the world * interesting articles by outstanding writers on a variety of important subjects. Our District 5160 publishes a monthly District Governors newsletter.  In addition, our Rotary Club furnishes you with a Club Bulletin: Our bulletin reports the weekly news of our members and club activities. It also provides details of forthcoming programs It contains make-up information of District Rotary Clubs showing their meeting times and locations. It provides a Club Membership Roster -- The roster contains a list of members and their classifications. A Organizational Chart -- This displays the office bearers at the international, district, and club level. Our Club Activities At our weekly meetings we have an interesting speaker with subjects as diverse as Sally Ride speaking on her experience at NASA  to the current state of development at Mare Island to a demonstration by the local YMCA gymnastics students , and occasionally we visit actual sites, such as the Sutter Solano Medical Center or Children's Wonderland Park.  We raise many thousands of dollars each year which is dispersed in service to needy in our community. Our major fund raising activity is the Annual Ducky Derby which we co-sponsor with  the Vallejo Chamber of Commerce. We contribute to international programs such as Rotary's International's program to eradicate Polio world wide by the year 2000 and various projects with our sister clubs in Mexico and Greece.. We support programs such as Rotary Exchange Students, Group Study Exchange and many others. We also provide strong support to a wide variety of local organizations such as the Benicia Vallejo Humane Society, Cornerstone equestrian center for physically challenged students, the North Bay YMCA, College scholarships for students graduating from our public and private high schools, and donations to assist the John F. Kennedy Library. We  support many other causes during the year. One project we plan to continue this year is the distribution of a new dictionary to every third grade student in the cities schools. Opportunities exist for members of our club to visit other countries and work as volunteers in the Rotary  World Community  projects and programs.