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Dear Fellow Rotarians,
This month marks 50 years since the first Rotaract
club was chartered, in 1968. In this special Rotaract issue, you'll
meet some impressive Rotaractors from around the world and see some
of the incredible ways they are Making a Difference.
In the half-century since Rotaract began, the world
has seen profound changes, and young people have felt the greatest
impact of those changes: the rise of technology and the information
economy, the spread of education, and the tremendous influence of
the internet. When Rotaract was founded, it would have been almost
unthinkable for a teen or 20-something to have been an entrepreneur
or a CEO. Today, young people have an unprecedented capacity to
achieve – and Rotary needs their ideas and enthusiasm as never
before.
For many years, Rotary has done Rotaract a disservice
by looking at our youth and young adult programs as mere precursors
to Rotary membership, and not as valuable and productive programs
in their own right. But Rotaractors are truly partners in Rotary
service.
Today, an estimated quarter of a million Rotaractors
serve in over 10,000 clubs, in nearly every country where Rotary
clubs exist. The impact of their service is particularly impressive
when contrasted with their resources. Rotaractors achieve an amazing
amount with far less money at their disposal than the average Rotary
club. Their energy and vision bring something wonderful to our Rotary
family and to our communities, and we value it very much.
Yet only 27 percent of Rotary clubs sponsor a Rotaract
club, a figure that has remained fairly stable over time. And far
too few Rotaractors ultimately do move on to Rotary membership.
As we celebrate this anniversary with Rotaract, I encourage all
Rotary clubs to consider sponsoring a Rotaract club or to strengthen
their ties with the clubs they already sponsor. Schedule regular
joint meetings, run joint service projects, and reach out to Rotaractors
– not only to ask if you can help, but to find out how you
can work together. Know your Rotaract clubs and their members –
and make sure that every Rotaractor knows that a Rotary club is
waiting to welcome them.
For half a century, Rotaract has given young people
a way to find the same connections with their communities, and the
same value in service, that Rotarians find in Rotary. Rotaractors
are connecting us to the Rotary of our future, while helping us
build the Rotary of today.
Ian H.S. Riseley
President 2017-18
Trustee Chair's Message - March
2018
This month my focus is on The Rotary
Support Center.
Questions, questions, questions. Two topics I am frequently
asked about during my visits with Rotarians around the world relate
to Rotary's website and our Foundation's grants. Quite likely you
have had these questions and more, about things such as donor contributions,
point transfers, club and district reports, club invoices, and club
officer changes, to name a few. If you don't know where to find
the answer, Rotary's Support Center is the place to start.
The Rotary Support Center is an easily accessible
first point of contact for Rotarians, donors, staff, and others
to help answer questions in English, French, and Spanish. Business
hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday.
You can reach the Support Center toll-free at
1-866-976-8279 (1-866-9ROTARY). Email inquiries to
rotarysupportcenter@rotary.org will be responded to within one business
day.
The Support Center averages 3,500 calls per month.
This includes about 1,500 callers who want to be directed to a specific
person or Rotary department, allowing easier access within our complex
organization. On average, 7,000 emails are responded to each month.
With only an eight-year history, the Rotary Support
Center has been certified as a Center of Excellence by Benchmark
Portal, the industry leader in contact center benchmarking. The
Center of Excellence recognition is one of the most prestigious
awards in the customer service and support industry. This distinction
requires that a center be both efficient and effective, providing
service that is of superior quality with lower overall costs compared
with other centers in the service industry.
The Rotary Support Center team also includes a Visitor
Services and Tour Program coordinator to schedule tours and large
group meetings for those who want to visit Rotary headquarters.
Rotary has a surprising number of visitors each year. Are you planning
a visit to the Chicago area? You can request a tour by sending an
email to visitors@rotary.org. Perhaps our paths will cross at One
Rotary Center!
I am confident you will agree with the 96 percent
quality score the center has received from satisfied customers.
Paul A. Netzel
Trustee Chair 2017-18
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