It is fitting and appropriate that membership and new club development are highlighted so early in the Rotar
y year by having the month of August dedicated to its promotion and celebration. Membership remains Rotary’s number one internal priority, and rightly so, as its members are the heartbeat and lifeblood of the organization. If Rotary is to increase its impact and expand its reach it will need to, among other things, increase its membership numerically and qualitatively. More members mean more sharing of ideas, more fellowship, more service to communities, and more opportunities to develop community leaders. Members who are actively engaged and growing in Rotary knowledge and participation are more likely to remain committed Rotarians – people of action who positively impact their communities by giving service above self.
It is fitting and appropriate that membership and new club development are highlighted so early in the Rotary year by having the month of August dedicated to its promotion and celebration. Membership remains Rotary’s number one internal priority, and rightly so, as its members are the heartbeat and lifeblood of the organization. If Rotary is to increase its impact and expand its reach it will need to, among other things, increase its membership numerically and qualitatively. More members mean more sharing of ideas, more fellowship, more service to communities, and more opportunities to develop community leaders. Members who are actively engaged and growing in Rotary knowledge and participation are more likely to remain committed Rotarians – people of action who positively impact their communities by giving service above self.
If an organization isn’t growing then by default it is dying, as existing membership will experience a natural attrition due to ageing and death, migration, changing interests, and the vicissitudes of life happening. We cannot afford for our beloved organization to become stagnant and die, and therefore, we must be intentional and strategic in actively renewing our membership especially by attracting younger members and generally increasing the membership of our existing clubs and creating new clubs where it is appropriate to do so.
August is a good time to do an inventory of members’ classifications and identify where there are gaps in vocations that may add value to the club in planning and executing its projects. Be deliberate and intentional in courting potential members who share Rotary’s values and who possess a skill set that may add significant value to the club. Ensure new members are put on club committees that align with their interests and keep them actively engaged in club activities and projects.
Everyone who shares Rotary’s values and has a heart for service is a potential Rotarian. Each Rotarian should be an evangelist to these potential Rotarians about the benefits of Rotary and the value that Rotary adds to peoples’ lives through regular social interaction, fellowship, training in public speaking, leadership training, project management, and general professional development, among others.
What of new clubs? Where there are potential Rotarians in the community and particularly those of a younger demographic, traditional club models may no longer be attractive to them. There are innovative club models available which may be more suited to the younger demographic who may not have the disposable time and income to become members of a traditional club.
Rotary International has decreased the number of people needed to charter a new club from twenty-one to fifteen, thus making the process easier. We would like to see District 7020 experience explosive and exponential growth in 2025-2026 and beyond and for that to happen the chartering of new Rotary and Rotaract clubs is essential. We also want to see new Interact and Earlyact clubs being chartered or reactivated thereby exposing our youth to Rotary’s values and ideals.
Growing Rotary’s membership is every Rotarian’s business and is the pathway to an organization which continues to be resilient, impactful, and which will be around for generations to come, meeting the needs of its members through providing opportunities for fellowship while they give service above self to their communities and the world. Let’s Unite for Good in growing the membership of District 7020 through innovative club types and models while continuing to strengthen and grow existing clubs .
William (Bill) Aiken
District Governor 2025-2026
Rotary International District 7020
Unite For Good
Recognise Needs Transform Lives
