Hello Fellow Rotarians !
In my view, I have 2 choices:
• to resign from the Rotary club completely due to my not being able to attend Any formal Rotary meetings (now for almost a year),
- or -
• to start up an E-club in an attempt to manage the one's busy life commitments along with a genuine interest to stay in Rotary and seek ways to participate via other means ?
While I have continued as the District Chair for the Rotary Friendship Exchange; as a participating Rotarian, I feel out of touch in my Rotary club in this work situation, and unable to join in on the typical Rotarian community initiatives.
I have stayed a member, but I am not sure why anymore if there is no contact or fellowship?
This is why I have now decided to scope amongst all the other clubs in our 9940 District Rotary for members like myself ? No doubt there are quite a few other Rotarians who also find themselves in similar circumstances (very busy life and unable to attend meetings) yet who wish to stay engaged in Rotary and participate in projects while and where they can.
My plan is to start a Rotary e-club, based on an already established model I have seen successfully working in other countries (such as in Hawaii). Information on Rotary e-clubs can be accessed via the following links:
https://rotaryeclubs.com/
http://www.rotaryeclubhawaii.org/
I hope that all club presidents understand that it is not a ploy to lure away members from formal clubs? This is purely to provide for those (scant?) few who are looking for an alternative way to be a Rotarian.
I am keen to start up a Rotary E-club to cover our District, if there are no others, or if there are, then to cover at least the Greater Wellington and Wairarapa area with a start time within the next few weeks (AUGUST 2018).
As I see it, we would do most of our communicating electronically and meet up once or twice a month where appropriate for all participants.
If any of you are interested in being involved in this proposal, please contact me soon as I would enjoy hearing from you and do not really want to "go this alone".
You are also welcome to attend an initial first meeting to discuss this with likeminded Rotarians, held Monday 30 July @ 14:00 at the National Office of DOC, 18-32 Manners street in Wellington. Ask for "anneke" at reception.
Greetings,
Anneke Wolterbeek,
RFE Chair 9940,
aewrootbeer@gmail.com