New Members

Sponsoring and Mentoring New Members

"In the end, your greatest contribution to Rotary may be the person you asked to join."

FRANK DEVLYN, RI PRESIDENT, 2000-2001

Verbs were deliberately chosen, for this is a call to ACTION! Sponsoring (inviting to join) and mentoring (fostering progress) new members is your privilege and duty. Be a participant in Rotary's "Global Quest" to increase membership the right way.

The quality we most seek is "quality of the heart - not just income or position." (Rick King, RI President 2000-2001) Search for the fight people, especially younger ones, with the qualities of "friendliness, tolerance and usefulness" (Paul Harris) who could improve themselves and benefit our community through involvement in Rotary. Don't assume anything; these fine future Rotarians will have to be actively recruited, and they may have no knowledge of Rotary or even a negative opinion.

Think of the difference Rotary has made in your life - the service projects, the life-long friendships and the camaraderie of the meetings - and give another the opportunity to grow and prosper and help others. Our Rotary Club community is the living link between individuation (self-creation) and social engagement (world-creation). Sell the message -not only what Rotary does for others, but perhaps even more importantly, what Rotary does for the Rotarian (Ken Boyd, District Governor).
Rick King believes that it is Rotary's destiny to become the most important non-profit, non-governmental and non-religious organization in all the world's history. Everyone's effort is important. We all know people who are seeking a meaningful way to make a difference in the world, who think and act like Rotarians. It is our business to bring these individuals into Rotary.

Before sponsoring, please be mindful of two very important considerations; cost of membership and attendance requirements. The most seemingly attractive candidate will fail if he or she is unable or unwilling to pay the dues and attend the meetings.' Candidates must also be willing to help and participate in service projects.

Also, please keep in mind your on-going mentoring responsibilities. These include attending the orientation and the induction, standing with your new member during greeting, personally introducing him or her to fellow Rotarians, and following-up to ensure that your new member is happy, involved and productive. Think what it is like to be "in the presence of somebody who is more on top of life that I am, and I have something to learn from this person. There are people who are further along then we are, and to pour one's life into the mold of such persons can be very constructive.," (Huston Smith). Be that presence.

We want to be perceived as the best choice for community service, fellowship and networking in East Volusia County, Florida. If we succeed, then with your help we will attract and recruit emerging and statured community leaders and philanthropists, or those who could be. It is your responsibility to be on the lookout for these special individuals and do them and your club a big favor by sponsoring them for membership and then mentoring their success.

"Community is the living link between individuation and social engagement. The creative tension between self-creation and world-creation is united in a common culture, a matrix of friendships, which configures them in a meaningful and purposeful whole."  From Stephen Batchelor