Rotary International's Changemaker Award

Changemaker Award recognizes Rotary Clubs that make an extraordinary impact

Rotary International News -- 24 January 2011

The next class of Rotary district governors emerged from the 2011 International Assembly in San Diego, California, USA, with new ideas, skills, and friendships that will help them lead during the 2011-12 year. RI President-elect Kalyan Banerjee began the week by inspiring the 530 governors-elect to Reach Within to Embrace Humanity . "In order to achieve anything in this world, a person has to use all the resources he can draw on. And the only place to start is with ourselves and within ourselves," he said.

Later in the week, Banerjee announced plans for the 2011-12 Changemaker Award, which will recognize Rotary clubs that make an extraordinary impact through their work in the Avenues of Service. The Changemaker Award, to accompany the Presidential Citation during the 2011-12 Rotary year. Banerjee, who said he will encourage Rotarians to focus on change, explained that the Changemaker Award will recognizing Rotary clubs that make an extraordinary impact through their work in the Avenues of Service. “In 2011-12, we shall recognize leaders and clubs and districts who carry the service of Rotary forward through all stages of [the Presidential] Citation and Changemaker awards,” said Banerjee.

To qualify for a Changemaker Award, clubs will choose from a menu of activities and complete a minimum number for each avenue. All activities must be undertaken and completed between 1 July 2011 and 1 March 2012. District governors will select three clubs in the district -- the top-performing small, medium, and large clubs -- to be entered into a zone and international competition, culminating in the opportunity to be recognized onstage at the 2012 RI Convention in Bangkok, Thailand.

Activities include demonstrating a net gain in membership over three straight years (2009-12) for Club Service and conducting a career counseling or vocational training program in the community for Vocational Service. The 2011-12 Presidential Citation will recognize achievements related to membership development and contributing to The Rotary Foundation, and will feature club and district recognition categories. The top 15 districts and 15 clubs certified by governors and validated by RI will be recognized onstage at the 2012 convention.

Clubs will select from criteria such as increasing the number of younger professionals in the club by 2 percent and inducting RI or Rotary Foundation program alumni. Districts will choose from a variety of goals, including 100 percent participation in the Annual Programs Fund.
For Banerjee, the Changemaker Award and Presidential Citation reinforce the work of each Rotarian throughout the year to make the world a better place through service.

“2011-12 will be the year of the individual Rotarian, the year when we recognize and applaud all that they do for Rotary and for the lives of others whom they do not know and have not met,” said Banerjee during the farewell dinner banquet at the 2011 International Assembly.

Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar shared early success stories of the Foundation's Future Vision Plan. A three-year pilot began on 1 July with 100 districts. All districts will start using the plan's new grant model on 1 July 2013. Read more here.

In his address to the governors-elect, RI Director John C. Smarge spotlighted one of Rotary's greatest challenges: "Since 2003, we have added 2,552 Rotary clubs yet only increased our overall membership by 226 members."Smarge encouraged Rotary leaders to strengthen clubs by branding Rotary as the organization of choice for business, professional, and community leaders throughout the world.

The incoming district governors also heard from past RI presidents, including Rajendra K. Saboo, who talked about having passion for leadership, and Bhichai Rattakul, who discussed Rotary's core values. RI President Ray Klinginsmith elaborated on those values during the final plenary session.

"Service, fellowship, integrity, diversity, and leadership are our core values, which I prefer to call our Rotary DNA," Klinginsmith said. "Those traits are what distinguish us from other organizations. There is no doubt that we can help our club leaders to Reach Within to Embrace Humanity , and to make the world a better place, because we have been doing it for more than 100 years, and we do it better than anyone else in the world."

Source: Rotary International

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