No secret handshakes, no closed doors – Rotary is for everyone
Our previous column highlighted five good reasons to join Rotary including friendship, making a difference in your community, learning new things, using lifelong experience and then looked at the opposite side of that same coin by debunking a few of the myths that have arisen about Rotary.
Last issue’s myths dealt with Rotary only being for old men, being male-only and just a dining club. With big thanks to Fareham Meon Rotary club for their help with this, let us consider three more:
Rotary is only for doctors, lawyers and CEOs:
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Rotary’s membership base is a broad cross-section of people from diverse backgrounds, cultures and professions, our strongest asset.
Teachers, bankers, accountants, retailers, students, plumbers, electricians, healthcare workers, farmers... you name it, they are all represented in Rotary. Work from home? Just starting out in business?
Moving up through the ranks? Made it to the top? Retired? There is a role for you in Rotary.
Membership is by invitation only:
Anyone can visit and join a Rotary club, there are no secret handshakes or “memberonly” rituals.
We accept members from all walks of life, and have no cultural or religious barriers or expectations. Meetings are open and everyone is welcome. If after attending a few meetings, you have shown interest in joining a club and have made the right impression, you will more than likely be asked to join.
Rotary is a religious organisation or a secret society:
Rotary is nonreligious and non-political. It is an open organisation of men and women who simply believe in helping others.
Further examples of what you could become involved with are detailed below from a couple of our clubs.
Portsmouth North
Rotary are delighted to announce details of the 24th Charity Golf Day at Rowlands Castle Golf Club on Thursday, June 6. In conjunction with sponsors Sytner Land Rover Portsmouth, Close Brothers & Briarsgate Homes, this year the Rotary club will be supporting local charities in the Portsmouth area. During the past 24 years, Portsmouth North has been able to donate over £310,000 to various charities from these golf days, which has made a significant difference to them, including Kidney Dialysis Portsmouth (1998), Second Chance Charity (2003), Portsmouth Association for The Blind (2011) and Buckland Soup Kitchen (2023).
If you would be interested in entering a fourball team, please contact Keith@acorncompanies.co.uk
for a booking form.
Havant Rotary’s Feed Havant project, working to support all the food banks in Havant, Hayling Island, Leigh Park, Emsworth and Waterlooville, donated a further £1,500 in cash plus a further 10 full trolleys of food, which came from collections at Tesco and Waitrose.
During this Rotary year, more than £6,000 has been donated plus an amazing amount of food, with huge thanks to all who have helped.
If you would like more information or details of Rotary clubs local to you, please contact raydrake@talktalk.net or kenebbens@aol.com (Rotary District Officers)