Clubs made to order

Illustrations by Sjoerd Van Leeuwen

These clubs keep things fresh with
new ideas and new members

What is Rotary? It’s a whole community of people who are members of Rotary and Rotaract clubs, of course, but it’s also people who participate in programs such as Rotary Peace Fellowships and Rotary Youth Exchange. It’s non-Rotarian members of Rotary Action Groups and Fellowships and of Rotary Community Corps. It’s people who have volunteered on Rotary projects and people who are interested in Rotary’s work and causes.

Rotary is the hub that brings all these people together, each with their own set of skills and expertise, to do good in the world. Today’s Rotarians and Rotaractors continue to extend their reach beyond the boundaries of their clubs, their communities, and their countries. Their most ambitious endeavors invariably go beyond the organization to engage the participation of non-Rotarians. Each of those new affiliations has the potential to elevate Rotary’s profile, improve its opportunities for success, and, when paired with new approaches to club structure, attract new members. The clubs, people, and projects profiled here can serve as inspiration to existing clubs — or to clubs yet to be.