All Rotary clubs are not religious or governmental and are open to all races, cultures and creeds. Our membership represents a representative sample of civic-minded local business leaders and professionals. Founded in 1909, the Rotary Club of New York offers businessmen and women and civic-minded professionals a fun and organized way to contribute to our city and to needy areas of the world. We meet weekly and plan service activities for clubs, communities and internationals.
By using our skills and experience, members also improve their professional network, professional development, and intercultural understanding. Clubs accept new members by invitation. To help us find the right club for you, we'll ask you a few questions about you and your interests. We'll then share your answers with Rotary leaders in your community, who will connect you with a club.
While Rotary clubs are based on the same values, no two are the same, because each community has its own unique needs. At club meetings in communities around the world, our members meet to strengthen their connections with friends and neighbors and their commitment to improving lives. Enter the terms you want to search for. As people of action, Rotarians want to find ways to respond to COVID-19 and help people affected by it.
The Rotary Foundation offers several options that Rotarians can use to help care for and protect people in their own communities and others around the world. For additional information, contact your regional grant officer. Rotary and its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) recently announced that they are ready to support the introduction and delivery of vaccines. The group is also committed to equitably distributing the COVID-19 vaccine and providing support to ensure that all communities have equal access to vaccines.
More information and resources will be available soon for clubs and districts. Members can invite medical professionals or local health officials to speak at club meetings. It also tries to collaborate with local media, for example by writing letters to the editor, to support local initiatives and the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, using as evidence the success of Rotary in eradicating polio. More importantly, members should lead by example, wearing masks and practicing social distancing.
Share images online that reflect these lifesaving behaviors. When it's time to get the vaccine, share your experience online. Thanks to the extensive infrastructure developed to identify poliovirus and carry out vaccination campaigns, the polio eradication program strives to protect vulnerable people from COVID-19, especially in countries where polio is endemic. From Pakistan to Nigeria, the program draws on years of experience fighting outbreaks to help governments respond to the new virus.
Learn from other clubs about organizing virtual club meetings in the Learning Center. We will also require senior leaders and Rotarians to demonstrate that they are vaccinated before attending meetings at One Rotary Center, our global headquarters in Evanston, Illinois (USA). UU.). The Board decided to re-organize the Rotary International Convention virtually this year.
As an additional precautionary measure, the Board also decided not to fund any expenses (travel and otherwise) related to the face-to-face meetings of Rotary leaders during the rest of the Rotary year, except for the president, the elected president and the president of the trustee. This decision applies to directors, trustees, regional leaders, district governors, deputy governors and other leaders. Board meetings and RI committee meetings will also continue to be virtual. Through this decision, Rotary follows the guidelines of the World Health Organization and national public health authorities to limit unnecessary travel and observe best public health practices, thus fulfilling our responsibility to better protect our members and the communities we serve.
RI staff at Evanston headquarters and all of Rotary's global offices practice social distancing by working from home. Short-term exchanges last from several days to three months and usually occur during school holidays. Because the duration is much shorter, it's easier to determine if there may be travel restrictions or other effects related to COVID-19; however, districts continue to require that they follow all of Rotary's safety regulations. Your plan should include a crisis management team and define each member's responsibilities in terms of communication, emergency procedures, media relations, and expenses.
It is important to consider beforehand what factors could cause all scheduled program activities to be canceled or postponed. Also consider what criteria should be met to safely resume exchanges. More information can be found in the Rotary Youth Protection Guide. Download the resource Building a Crisis Management Plan from Rotary International and access our on-demand webinar to learn more about how to develop a comprehensive plan.
For first-year fellows preparing for their applied field experience, we recommend that they consider options in their country of study and that they have an alternative plan in case travel is further restricted. Beyond health and safety issues, we don't want fellows to be subject to quarantines or have problems returning to the country where you study due to their field experience (travel). You can contact your staff specialist if you have specific questions about how Rotary's policy may affect the planning of your field experience. Follow school instructions about any closures or delays in the start time that may affect school program participants.
Talk about how they can stay engaged and safe until classes resume. Talk to parents or guardians about the health and safety of their children and about what Rotary clubs and districts are doing to minimize the exposure and impact of participants in Rotary activities and events. Districts that organize international programs, such as Rotary friendship exchanges and service exchanges for new generations, could put participants at greater risk. Organizers should follow the guidelines established by the World Health Organization and the national, regional, or local health authorities in participating districts when considering canceling or postponing planned trips or activities.
The Board of Directors continues to recommend that Rotary carry out its activities virtually or in a hybrid way. Learn more about the travel policy related to COVID-19. If you have questions about whether your trip qualifies as an essential trip, please contact your liaison with staff. The Rotary Learning Center created a new theme, Meeting Online, where members can share their own resources and best practices with each other. Visit the Rotary Voices blog for numerous examples of how clubs and their members carry out virtual events and service projects.
Find useful and up-to-date information about the coronavirus. Rotary clubs help combat the COVID-19 pandemic Hacking a solution to the COVID-19 pandemic An Italian club uses its experience to help fight the coronavirus Kenyan Rotarians take steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 How to engage members during the coronavirus pandemic Help us improve. The host clubs mentioned the impact of the program experience and the ways in which it created international understanding in their clubs and communities, forged peer connections, and initiated new friendships. Recognize your relationship with a Twin Club certificate of recognition for Rotary clubs and Rotaract clubs.
Online clubs, also known as electronic clubs, meet regularly, carry out service projects, support The Rotary Foundation and socialize, like any other Rotary club or Rotaract, without the cost of meeting in person. In a recent joint session, the Board of Directors and the RI Board of Trustees created a joint working group that will develop and execute a plan to encourage Rotary and Rotaract clubs to support vaccination. Over the years, many Rotary clubs and districts have been actively involved in welcoming emerging leaders from Eurasia. Some clubs hold all or part of their meetings online, for members who have a tight schedule, limited mobility, or who live in an area where there is no established Rotary or Rotaract club.
You can expand your club's connections with the world by developing a sister club relationship, collaborating with other clubs and partner organizations on service projects, or organizing a visit to Open World. Like Rotary clubs, Rotaract and Interact clubs provide members with opportunities to make friends, develop leadership skills, and create positive change. You can work with an international committee to carry out international service projects, develop a twin-club relationship, or organize a Rotary friendship exchange between two international districts. Rotary action groups bring together Rotary members, family members, program participants, and alumni who share their knowledge in certain fields by collaborating with clubs and districts on projects.
Rotary clubs also welcome Rotaractors, Rotary Peace Fellows, and other members of the Rotary family who qualify for membership. With more than 46,000 Rotary and Rotaract clubs around the world, you'll always have a friend in Rotary wherever you go. .
