Even on the
weekly club
night members
are free not
later than
8.30pm except on
special
occasions.
Monthly
committee
meetings are
usually held on
the first
Tuesday in the
month and
members are
expected to
attend.
There is
opportunity for
partners and
children to
participate in
Rotary events
both at social
occasions and
project
activities. In
addition there
is a very active
Inner Wheel Club
which Rotarians
partners can
join and this
meets monthly.
There are many
other functions
where families
can get together
on an informal
basis.
Membership
ceases on a
member moving to
another
locality.
However,
Rotarians often
find they can
gain admittance
to another club
when they wish
to continue,
though there is
no automatic
transfer from
club to club.
A Rotary club
ideally should
have in its
membership a
representative
of every
recognised
business,
professional or
institutional
activity in the
community.
Certain terms
chosen for their
brevity and
descriptiveness
are used in
Rotary to
designate these
recognised
activities and
are called
'classifications'.
This is the
cornerstone of
Rotary and it is
only at a Rotary
meeting that it
is possible to
mix with
business and
community
leaders in such
diverse
vocations and to
extend yourself
outside your
normal work
activities and
acquaintances.
Members are
classified in
accordance with
their business
or profession.
Classifications
are determined
either by the
principal
activity or
service of the
business in
which the member
is engaged or by
the actual
position held in
the business. In
other words, if
the member is
the accountant
of a printing
company, the
classification
can be either
'printing' or
'accounting'.
Badges
(dinner plate)
are worn by
members at their
meetings on
which are
printed the full
name, the
persons commonly
called name and
the
classification
Regular
attendance at a
Rotary club
meeting is very
important. It
gives one the
opportunity to
share fellowship
with other
Rotarians. Non
attendance for
four consecutive
meetings or
attendance of
less than 60% of
meetings in a
half yearly
period, without
board approval,
automatically
terminates
membership
Members
unable to attend
their own club
meeting may
'make up', that
is attend any
other Rotary
club within
fourteen days
either preceding
or following the
day of their own
club's meeting,
or on the day
itself if you
are in another
area. Members
should notify
the cashier by
handing in the
visitors card
from the other
club. This
allows the
club's
attendance
officer to
credit that
member with an
attendance. A
'make up' is
possible at any
club anywhere in
the world and
gives those
traveling a
great
opportunity of
meeting other
people and
extending
acquaintance.
Attendance
means your
presence for at
least 60% of the
meeting.
The
importance of
regular
attendance
cannot be over
stressed.
Members have a
dual
responsibility;
to get to know
their fellow
Rotarians, and,
to give other
Rotarians the
opportunity to
know them. It is
a two way
process. This
can be achieved
only by regular
attendance at
club and
committee
meetings and by
active
participation at
every
opportunity.
If you are
not able to
attend a club
meeting,
regardless of
the reason, an
apology must be
made with the
apologies
officer not
later than noon
on the day of
the meeting.
After that time
meals are
ordered from the
caterer and late
apologies or
absence without
apology will
incur a meal
charge against
the member
involved.
Absence without
apology is
termed 'silent'
and is
considered a
discourtesy to
the President
and other club
members. It is
appreciated that
occasionally
circumstances
can make it
impossible to
record an
apology
beforehand but,
every endeavour
should be made
to record one,
even if right on
or during the
meeting time.
