Tyler Rotary Club

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New Member Orientation - Tyler Rotary Club 06/01/2003

Prepared by George Moses

A True Rotarian is:

“ not a builder of monuments of brick and stone. If we work upon marble it will perish; if we work on brass, time will deface it;  if we erect temples, they will crumble into ruins.  But if we work upon immortal minds, if we imbue them with the full meaning of the Spirit of Rotary as expressed in our Objects and with the fear of God an love and fellow men, we are engraving on those tablets something that will brighten all eternity and make Rotary an immortal force as long as civilization shall endure”

 Kumph, father of the Rotary Foundation and Rotary International President, 1916-17

“Service above Self”

“He Profits Most Who Serves Best”

History of Rotary

The first Rotary Club was organized in Chicago by a young lawyer named Paul P. Harris, and held its first meeting on February 23, 1905, with four business and professional men in attendance. The meeting was held in the Unity Building at 12 Dearborn Street, in the office of Gus Loehr, a mining engineer. In addition to Paul and Gus, the group consisted of Hiram Shorey, a merchant tailor and Silvester Schiele, a coal dealer. The men were trying to capture that sense of fellowship they had in the small towns from which they had originated. Soon they developed the higher purpose of service to others.

 The men met in rotation at each other’s places of business, hence the name Rotary. To make the club a representative cross section of the business and professional community, only one representative of each business or profession was admitted. This was the beginning of the classification principle of membership.

 By 1910, there were 16 Rotary Clubs and a couple of years later, the movement spread overseas. In 1922, the organization was officially named Rotary International. Today there are over 30,150 clubs with over 1,189,000 members in 164 countries.

The Object of Rotary

The Object of Rotary is to "encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise"

There are four areas by which this “ideal of service” is fostered:

 First: The development of acquaintances as an opportunity of 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 his occupation as an opportunity to serve society.

 Third: The application of the ideal of service by every Rotarian to this personal, business and community life.

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

The Avenues of Service

The Four Avenues of Service  represent the four elements of the Object of Rotary.  They are:

1. Club Service:  Providing service to the Rotary club to enable it to run efficiently in the spirit of fellowship.

2. Vocational Service:  Putting high standards of conduct into practice in the business and professional lives of Rotarians.

3. Community Service:  Identifying needs in the Rotary Club’s community and addressing these needs with service projects.

4. International Service:  Working for international understanding and peace by promoting goodwill among all people.

 Each of these Avenues of Service is headed by a Director in each club, with various sub committees functioning in each area.Each member of the club should attempt to be a member of a committee or sub committee.

The Four Way Test

 One of the most widely printed and quoted statements of business ethics in the world is the Rotary “4 Way Test”. It was created by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor in 1932 when he was asked to take charge of the Chicago based Club Aluminum Company, which was facing bankruptcy. Taylor drew up a 24 word code of ethics for all employees to follow in their business and professional lives. The 4-Way Test became a guide for all employees and all relations with the dealers and customers. It was credited with the survival and future success of the company. The 4-Way Test was adopted by Rotary International in 1943. Herb Taylor became president of Rotary International during 1954-55

 Most Rotary clubs close their meetings with the recitation of the 4-Way Test.

Of the things we think, say or do:

Declarations of Rotarians in Business and Professional Relations

As a Rotarian engaged in a business or profession, I am expected to:

1. Consider my vocation to be another opportunity to serve.

2. Be faithful to the letter and the spirit of the ethical codes of my vocation, to the laws of my country,  and to the moral standards of my community.

3. Do all in my power to dignify my vocation and to promote the highest ethical standards of my chosen vocation.

4. Be fair to my employer, employees, associates, competitors, customers, the public and all those with whom I have a business or professional relationship.

5. Recognize the honor and respect due to all occupations which are useful to society.

6. Offer my vocational talents: to provide opportunities for young people, to work for the special needs of others, and to improve the quality of life for my community.

7. Adhere to honesty in my advertising and in all representations to the public concerning my business or profession.

8. Neither seek from nor grant to a fellow Rotarian a privilege of advantage not normally accorded others in a business or professional relationship.

The Rotary Motto

The principal motto of Rotary is: “Service  Above Self”

The secondary motto is:  “He Profits Most Who Serves Best”

The Rotary Wheel Emblem

In 1923, Rotary adopted as its official symbol the present gear wheel with 24 cogs and six spokes. An Aggie engineer recognized it would not work if it did not have a “keyway” so later in 1923, the keyway was added to the official Rotary emblem.

The emblem is made into a lapel pin presented to new members of Rotary, and Rotarians are encouraged to wear the pin in their daily business activities.

The Rotary Flag

 The Rotary flag consists of a white field with the official wheel emblem emblazoned in gold and blue in the center of the field.

 In 1922, Admiral Richard Byrd, a member of the Rotary Club of Winchester, Virginia carried a small Rotary flag to the South Pole and four years latter carried it to the North Pole.

Most clubs have a club banner which is the Rotary flag with the words “Rotary Club” above the wheel emblem and the name of the city and state below the emblem.

The Rotary Club

 A Rotary club is an organization of business and professional leaders in a well defined community. Each club is chartered by Rotary International with an assigned territorial boundary. The Purposes of the club are fellowship and service.

 The club is governed by a president, vice-president  president elect and Secretary/Treasurer as the officers and a Board of Directors. Our club has eight directors with four directors elected each year for a two year term.

 Club members are to be adult persons of good character and good reputation who are proprietors, partners, corporate officer or managers of a business or profession or who hold important positions with an executive capacity. They must belong to a club in the community where their place of business is or where they reside.

 All clubs are subject to the rules and regulations as laid down by Rotary International and District Rules. Clubs are required to adopt and abide by the Rotary International Standard Club Constitution. Each club has some voice in establishing its own By-Laws, but they must conform to the Rotary International Standard Club By-Laws.

The Rotary Club of Tyler was chartered in May 1920 and was the fifth club chartered in northeast Texas.   It was one of only 530 clubs in Rotary and was chartered two years before Rotary changed its name from The National Association of Rotary Clubs to Rotary International.  The club’s web site is www.tylerrotary.org.

The Organization of Rotary International

A technical Distinction;  The Rotary Clubs belong to Rotary International and the individual is a member of a Rotary Club, not Rotary International. 

 Rotary International is divided into Zones with a number of Rotary Districts in each Zone. The president, Secretariat and Board of Directors govern Rotary International.  There are 17 directors in RI who are elected for two year terms with an overlap of members to provide continuity.

The Rotary District 

 The District Governor is the Single officer of Rotary International in this District.

 Each District Governor  has been extensively trained to do his or her job while serving a year as District Governor. In addition, each governor and if possible their spouse must attend a Governors Elect training meeting held in the spring of the year in which they are to become governor. This training is presently held in San Diego, California and trains all of the incoming governors from throughout Rotary International. The governor serves for one year starting on July 1.

Some of the duties of the District Governor are:

 Governor and Governor Elect for 2006-2007: The 2006-2007 Governor is John Henson. The Governor-Elect is Steve Brown.

Assistant Governors: Since it is impossible for an individual to be everywhere at once, the District Governor has six Assistant Governors to assist him or her. This is a new concept that was started with the 1997-98 Rotary year in recognition of the need for better liaison within the Districts. The Assistant Governor for Tyler is Steve Brown from the Kilgore Rotary Club.

District Meetings

The District Conference

The District Conference is the annual meeting for the District and is held in the late spring of the year.  This Rotary year’s conference is scheduled for  April 30^th through May 2^nd at the Big Sandy International Alert Acadamy.

 The purpose of the District Conference is for fellowship, review of the programs for the District for the year, to hear speakers including the President of RI or representative appointed by the President to attend the conference and to conduct any business or vote on resolutions presented.

The District Assembly

In view of the annual leadership turnover each year, special effort is made to provide instruction to the incoming club officers and District leadership. The assembly is conducted by the incoming governor to prepare and coordinate the leadership for the coming Rotary year. The assembly date is scheduled for Marshall at a date to be specified. The areas normally covered are:

The Mid Year Review

The current District Governor usually calls a meeting in January or February. The Mid Year Review is just that, a review of the progress of the District in achieving District and Rotary International goals and planning on how to insure all goals will be met by the end of June. The mid year review is presently scheduled for January 24 in Longview, TX.

The Rotary Foundation Seminar

The District Governor usually holds a Rotary Foundation seminar in the fall of the year to provide information on the programs of the foundation and review the progress in achieving the District and Rotary International goals for the year. The Foundation Seminar is scheduled for November 8^th, 2003 in Marshall. TX

District Recognition's

PDG Bill Campbell Club Performance Awards:  A District award recognizing the outstanding clubs in the District.  Clubs are recognized according to club size, with an overall District winner declared after the completion of the Rotary year. A traveling trophy is presented to the club of the year. The award is named after the late PDG Bill Campbell of the Rotary Club of Mount Vernon.

RI Presidential Citation:  This is an award for clubs that have achieved the goals set by the President of RI in each of the four avenues of service. Awards are based on club size.

Rotary International

The headquarters of Rotary International (RI) is located at One Rotary Center, 1560 Sherman Avenue, Evanston, Illinois, 60201.  The President for 2006-2007 is William B. Boyd. President Boyd's Theme is “Lead The Way”.

The RI internet website is www.rotary.org 

RI holds an international Conference in June of each year for all persons who desire to attend. The conference is normally held every other year in the U.S. alternating with a major international city. The number of delegates often approaches 30,000 representing Rotarians from all over the world.

The Unique Service Club

There are three areas in which Rotary Clubs differ from all of the other service clubs in the world.

I.                    Member qualifications:

Basically an active member shall be an individual who is a sole proprietor or in a leadership, supervisory or executive position in a business or profession or a person with discretionary power over their time.  This eliminates such persons as secretaries, tellers, teachers and the like.

Types of Membership:  Effective July 1, 2001, there are only two types of membership. This is a major change from the previous four types and was changed by the 2001 Council on Legislation and approved at the International Convention in June of 2001.

1.        Active:  A person of good character and  reputation who meets the criteria listed in the paragraph above. A club may have up to five members with the same classification or if the club has more than 50 members, up to 10% of the clubs membership.

2.        Honorary.  A person who has performed meritorious service in furthering Rotary ideals may be elected by the club as an Honorary member. This designation is normally reserved for someone who for one reason or another would not normally be considered for active membership. The honorary member has the rights and privileges of active members in their own club only; except that they may not hold office in the club and are not subject to attendance requirements. The designation is valid until withdrawn by the club’s board of directors.

Membership in Rotary is not Universal

It must be remembered that membership in Rotary is not universal. One is a member of only the local club. If you move to an area outside of your club’s jurisdiction, you must join another club to remain a member of Rotary. Under the new rules effective July 1, 2001 your present club or you as an individual may request that your membership be transferred to another club without the normal requirement of being proposed by a member. 

II.         Classification System:

The Rotary plan of membership provides a means for having in the Club, a representative of every recognized business, profession or institution activity in the community so far as is possible. This ensures a wide cross of community representation and insures the club represents the whole of the business and professional community in the area designated for the club to draw its membership.

 A classification describes the principal and recognized activity of a company, institution, business or profession. It should be clearly understood that classifications are determined by the activities or services to society, rather than the position held by an individual. In other words, if a person is president of a bank, they will hold the classification of “Banker” and not be classified as “Bank President”

 The basic idea of the Rotary membership classification system is to provide a Club with membership representing all of the business and professional activities of the community.

 Each Club’s classification Committee annually updates the classifications in the club by conducting a survey.  From this survey, a list is prepared showing the filled and unfilled classifications.

III.       Attendance Requirements:

 Rotarians are expected to attend or make up each meeting missed.  “Rotary is hard to get into….but very easy to get out of !”

 There are four conditions under which membership may be terminated by the Club’s board of Directors for lack of attendance. 

1.        If you miss four (4) consecutive meetings without make up or good and sufficient reason.   The Board of Directors may excuse an absence for reasons as outlined in the Club’s By-laws.

2.        You must attend or make up at least 60%  or your Club’s scheduled meetings in each semi-annual period (Jul-Dec) and (Jan-Jun)

3.        Thirty percent of your attendance must be at your own club.

4.        You must be present for 60% of each meeting (36 minutes) to get credit for the meeting.

Making up for Missed Meetings

What should I do when I miss my Club’s regular meeting ???

Rotary has a provision for “Make Up” of missed meetings which enable you to attend another Rotary Club anywhere in the world, and receive credit for missed “home club” meeting. You have two weeks prior to a scheduled meeting and two weeks after the scheduled meeting to receive credit for making up a missed meeting. You should promptly notify your club secretary of your make up to insure you and the Club receive credit.

There are a number of clubs in the Tyler area that provide the opportunity for make ups. The information on these clubs is published in each weekly bulletin. If you are going on a trip, you can get a list of clubs with meeting times and locations to make up wherever there are Rotary Clubs in the world. Making up in foreign countries or other parts of the U.S. is a rewarding experience.

Proposing a New Member

Proposing a Member for Active Membership It is important for club members to understand that a prospective member is not formally proposed until the Board of Directors has approved an application. The club member proposing a new member will fill out an application and deliver it to the Club Secretary. The board has a maximum of thirty (30) days to act on the application. It should be checked by the membership committee and the classification committee to insure the individual is qualified as outlined in the club by-laws. Once approved, the application with board approval is then taken to the prospective member along with a letter that outlines the privileges and obligations associated with being accepted for membership in Rotarian. The proposed member is then asked to sign the application signifying that they understand the privileges and obligations and that they agree to have their name placed before the club for approval. The name is then announced to the club and if no written objection is received from a club member within seven (7) days, then the member is approved for induction as soon as they have paid their induction fee (if applicable).

If a member of the club has a reason they do not believe the individual being proposed meets the qualifications for being a Rotarian, they must state their objection in writing to the club secretary within seven (7) days of the announcement of the proposed membership to the club members. If an objection is received the board of directors will consider the objection and vote on whether the individual shall be inducted over the objection of a member. If approved, the individual will be inducted upon payment of the induction fee. If disapproved, the board shall notify the proposed individual.

It is rare that a membership proposal will be disapproved after the board has initially approved the application, but there are occasions when a club member has a valid reason for stating an objection and the membership is disapproved.

The change to the by-laws made by the Council on legislation also provides that if a Rotarian that is transferred or for other reason leaves the area serviced by the local club, the losing club or the member may request that they be admitted to membership in another club that services the area to which the individual is moving.  Unless the classification for the individual is filled, or another valid reason for objection is received, the individual will be admitted to the new club.

Honorary memberships  may be proposed by the board of directors or referred to the board by a club member.   As with active membership, the board is the approving authority for the proposal.

Financial Responsibilities of a Rotarian

Rotarians are expected to take care of their financial obligations to the Club promptly.!  The mandatory obligations are: 

1.        When approved for membership, there is a $75 induction fee unless the individual is a prior Rotarian or proposed for Honorary membership

2.        Club dues are $180.00 per year paid in two installments on July 1 and January 1.  When a member joins the club they will be billed for a pro-rated amount of the semi-annual payment

3.        Dues are due within 30 days.  If a member is more than 30 days in arrears the secretary will notify the club president who will take appropriate action which may include proposing to the board of directors that the member be dropped from membership.

4.        Club dues include $35.00 for RI dues, $15.00 for subscription (mandatory) to the Rotarian magazine and $50.00 for District operations.  The remainder is used to pay Club operating expenses

The Rotary Foundation

The Rotary Foundation is the cornerstone for Rotary service and programs.  It is trust fund that is administered by 13 trustees who are appointed by the RI Board of Directors. 

It was initiated at the 1917 International Convention to provide a means of funding Rotary programs on a continuing basis.  After a slow start due to two world wars and the depression, contributions really took off in 1947 with the death of Paul Harris. Memorial gifts poured in to honor the founder of Rotary.  From that time on, the Foundation has been achieving it noble objective of furthering “understanding and friendly relations between peoples of different nations and providing support for the underprivileged of the world”  The foundation is now receiving more than $40 million a year for educational and humanitarian work around the world. 

The crowning achievement of the Foundation to date has been  the Polio Plus program.  Conceived by president Carlos Conseco, president for RI in 1984-85 the goal of the program was to eliminate polio from the world by 2000.  Due to the scope of the project and the addition of immunization of children for childhood diseases, under the sponsorship of the United Nations, the deadline has been extended to February 2005 which will be RI’s 100^th birthday,  To date RI has contributed approximately $500 million dollars and hundreds of thousands of man-hours by volunteers to provide vaccinations and monitor the program.  Polio has virtually been eliminated in most areas of the world except for parts of Africa and India.

The Two Methods of Funding the Rotary Foundation

The Annual Fund.  The Rotary Foundation is financed by primarily by voluntary contributions from Rotarians, Rotary Clubs, and other individuals, corporations or charitable trust funds. Each years annual donations are placed in a trust for investment for and then spent the third year.  The income pays all operating costs of the Foundation so 100% of an contribution is utilized for programs.  The Foundation is a 501 C-3 organization for purposes of Income tax to U.S. Investors or foreign investors where applicable by the laws of their country. 

The Permanent Fund: .   In addition, a permanent fund which is an endowment fund has been established and earnings from this fund are used to finance programs. 

The Annual Fund

The annual fund is financed by contributions made to Paul Harris Fellowships.   When a Rotarian or a Club makes a $1,000 donation to the foundation in the name of an individual, the individual is designated as a Paul Harris Fellow.  The fellowship may be in the Rotarians name or may be designated to honor some other individual (living or dead) such as:

Contributions may be by lump sum, or more commonly by accumulation of contributions over a period of up to ten years.

 There are three levels of Paul Harris fellowship recognition:

Four primary ways to become a Paul Harris Fellow:

1. Become a Sustaining Member by contributing $100 to the foundation and continuing to give in increments of at least $100 until you have contributed $1,000. Within a 10 year maximum period.

2. You contribute $1,000 as a lump sum or as an amount necessary to bring your accumulated contributions to $1,000.

3. Your club or an individual contributes $1,000 in your name to honor you.

4. You utilize a matching funds grant from your club or District to complete your fellowship.

The Permanent Fund

The permanent fund is an endowment fund that was started to provide a steady income to the foundation.  The goal is to have $200 million invested by the year 2005 to provide a permanent income for the foundation.  

 The permanent fund is funded by either a direct donation or through the benefactor program.   Under the benefactor program, Rotarians either contribute or pledge to bequeath $1,000 or more to the Rotary Foundation.  The bequest may be in the form of life insurance, a codicil to a will or gift of property or securities at the time of death.  Benefactors are identified by a pair of “wings” underneath the Rotary pin. 

Unique Features of the Rotary Foundation

The foundation is unique to charitable foundations for a number of reasons including:

1. 100% of the contributions are spent on programs of the Foundation and not on administrative expenses.  The money received in a Rotary year is invested and programmed for expenditure at the end of the second year. year.  Thus, the interest pays all administrative expenses.

2. Rotarians or their direct linear family members is eligible to receive a financial benefit from the Foundation as it is a non-profit charitable organization.  Thus, the only benefit to Rotarians and their families is the knowledge and satisfaction that their contributions are used to serve others.

The Two Types of Programs Funded by the Foundation

I. Educational Programs:

There are four types of educational programs funded by the Foundation.

1.  Ambassadorial and Cultural Scholarships:

Ambassadorial  Scholarships are one the major programs of the foundation.  It is the most extensive university level international educational scholarship program in the world.  Based on funds donated to the Foundation, each year, our District is awarded one or two scholarships. The most familiar of these scholarships is the Academic Year Scholarships which are for non Rotarians   to study abroad at a college or university for one year. The program serves both an educational and as a cultural exchange.  Students are sponsored by a Rotary Club in their home country and hosted by one or more clubs in the area where the university they are attending is located.    During their year of study, they are also expected to visit with the Rotary clubs in the area.  Upon return to their home country, it is also anticipated they will give programs to the sponsoring club and other clubs in the area.  Many scholars become Rotarians.  In addition, Rotary awards Multi-Year Ambassadorial  Scholarships for two or  three years of degree-oriented study abroad; Cultural Ambassadorial Scholarships for three or six months of intensive language study and cultural immersion in another country; and Vocational Study Scholarships, awarded on a world-competitive basis.  Funding is based on the type of scholarship.  The academic year scholarship covering round trip transportation, tuition and fees reasonable living expenses, limited language training (as determined by the Rotary Foundation), and miscellaneous expenses has a specified limit which was $24,000 in 2000-2001.

Scholarship applications should be initiated in the fall of each year and the District Scholarship committee meets in the spring to select the recipients of the scholarship for the studying abroad the following year.  The committee chair for the 2003-2004 year is Willie Drumgoole from Athens, TX and his home phone number is (903) 675-7728.  Fax (903) 675-6316 Information on the program can also be obtained from the  scholarship chair person for our club.

2.  Group Study Exchange Teams (GSE):  Teams of four non Rotarian business or professional men and women are selected from our District each year to spend four to six weeks in a foreign country as guests of another Rotary District.  The hosting District also sends a team to our District usually timed so that they may attend our District Conference as well as visiting the clubs within the District. 

The GSE teams gets the opportunity to study social, economic, business and cultural conditions and to observe how business men and professionals in their own profession operate in another country.  They stay in the homes of Rotarians during their trip abroad.  The GSE program is one of the important benefits of giving to the Rotary Foundation.   Entitled Districts based on their District’s giving to the Foundation, select a District in another country and arrange and exchange of teams.

This visiting GSE team normally concludes their visit with a presentation at the District Conference.  They will make a number of presentations to clubs in during their stay in the District.

3 & 4. Rotary Grants for University Teachers  to serve in developing countries and The Rotary Peace Program are the other two educational programs available through the Rotary Foundation Educational programs.

II.  Humanitarian Programs

There are nine (9)  programs available for funding  through the Foundations Humanitarian Programs:

Matching Grants: Matching funds of no more than $5,000 for international humanitarian service projects conducted by Rotary clubs and districts.

Health, Hunger and Humanitarian Grants. These “3 H” grants are to fund large scale, two to three year projects, international in scope, that emphasize self help and improve hearth, alleviate hunger and enhance human and social development.  Generally, these grants are between $100,000 to $300,000.  Dr. Bert De La Cruz of the Rotary Club of Winnsboro was awarded a $166,542  3H grant in 1995 to assist a Rotary District in the Philippines.

Grants for Rotary Volunteers:  This program subsidizes the expenses of Rotarians, Foundation Alumni and Rotoractors who have volunteered their services and expertise in another country for at leas four weeks.

Carl P Miller Discovery Grants;   provide “seed money” in the form of travel and related expenses for the development of international Rotary Service projects are administered through this program

Polio Plus:  Provides support for vaccines, social mobilization and disease surveillance activities by Rotarians in developing world countries and other projects designed to achieve the certified eradication of polio by 2005 in the most direct and efficient manner.  Rotarians have raised approximately $5500 million in support of this program to eradicate one of the worlds most tragic diseases by the 100^th birthday of Rotary in February 2005.

The other grants under Humanitarian Programs are 3H Planning Grants, Helping Grants, New Opportunity Grants and Polio Plus Partners. 

Rotary Foundation Awards

Two special awards are presented by Trustees of the Rotary Foundation to Rotarians in our District who render unusual service to the Foundation:

Citation for Meritorious Service:  Each year, the District Governor may recommend a limited number of individuals for the Citation for Meritorious Service to the Foundation.  This award recognizes significant and dedicated service by a Rotarian in the District to promote the programs of the Rotary Foundation and thus advance the Foundation’s goal of better understanding and friendly relations among people of the world.

Distinguished Service Award:   One member of the District may be recognized with the Distinguished Service Award each year.  It is based on a much broader basis and spreads beyond the District level with normally covers and extended period of time.  Individuals nominated for their award must have already received the Citation for Meritorious Service

Other Rotary Programs

In addition to the Foundation programs, there are several other programs that are of special interest to the District:

Youth Exchange

The youth exchange program is one of Rotary’s most popular programs to promote international understand and develop lifelong friendships.  It offers young people interesting opportunities and rich experiences to see another part of the world.  High school students usually spend a full academic year in the home of one or more Rotarians.  Shorter programs are also available.  Unlike the Foundation programs, the exchange is arranged directly with the exchange between a student in a foreign country and a student in the District.  Funding is the responsibility of the individual students and their families.  Some Rotary clubs assist in the funding, but the majority of the expense is borne by the student’s family.  Rotary serves as a clearing house by helping to publicize the program and accept names of student’s seeking to use the exchange program.  Rotary sets the rules that must be observed including restrictions on driving in a foreign country by students while participating in an exchange program. The program is open to dependants of Rotarians since the family or club funds sponsor the exchange.

RYLA

The Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) program is a District run program for high school students selected and sponsored by clubs within the District.  The students assemble at Camp Pirtle boy scout camp on a weekend normally in late February for a week end camp.  The youth spend the weekend in a challenging program conducted by local businessmen and special guest  speakers and leaders to provide inspiration, leadership training and social activities.   The program is designed to teach teamwork and develop leadership skills and good citizenship. 

INTERACT

INTERACT is an organization for high school students designed to provide opportunities for boys and girls of high school age to work together in a world fellowship of service and international understanding.  Each INTERACT club must be sponsored and supervised by a Rotary Club and requires a faculty sponsor at the school where the club is organized.  The INTERACT club must plan annual projects of service to its school, community or world.  There are presently eight INTERACT clubs in the District.

ROTORACT

ROTORACT   is a program similar to INTERACT at the,   Jr Colleges or College level.  There are no INTERACT clubs in the District at this time.

What is Expected of You as A Rotarian

1.      Attend meetings of your Rotary Club on a regular basis.

2.      Make up meetings that you miss.

3.      Stay current with your Club financial obligations.

4.      Attend each meeting of the club committee to which you have been assigned.  If not assigned to a committee, select one and volunteer.

5.      Try to attend a District Conference, a Mid Year Review and District Foundation seminar during your first year as a Rotarian.

6.      Become a Paul Harris Fellow or a Sustaining Member within one year of your induction.

7.      Bring in a new member to the Club in your first year.

8.      Wear your Rotary Pin on a Daily Basis.

9.      Practice the Four Way Test in personal and professional life.

10.  Put service above self. 

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