Programme for week commencing 9th July, 2015

Maybe I’m forgetting that not everyone has caught up yet with eRotary. In my own Rotary District I’ve got complacent about the jibes and jokes about being virtual, but when visiting others it’s a shock to think that they haven’t heard about eClubs at all.

So visiting the Rotary Club of Salisbury this week (to talk about the Let’s Loop Swindon initiative) and experiencing their astonishment that I was a Rotarian from an eClub, showed me we still have much to do to explain, excite and move everyone to consider how we do Rotary in our modern world. Yes, the usual questions were asked:

• How do you all meet and get to know each other?
• How do you do things e.g. with the emphasis on fundraising?

So our challenge in 2015/16 is to raise awareness of eRotary and show that we are very much about ensuring that everyone could become a Rotarian, as now you can join in 24/7 and do Service above Self whatever your capacity. You just need to be able to use a computer and be into communicating by Social Media.

Everyone is challenged to think about the answers to those astonished questions of ‘so how do you do eRotary?’

For me I do my Rotary in lots of different ways. As I said in a previous programme, Rotary for me is how I conduct my life through the 4 Way Test. Here goes:

• I keep in touch with all my Rotary friends throughout the world through mainly Facebook or LinkedIn (and other Social Media)
• I’m involved in a number of community projects, including being a trustee of two charities Develop and Uplands Educational Trust.
• I’m assisting with the running of our Uplands Interact Club and Let’s Loop Swindon Rotary Community Corps.
• Through the use of Social Media, I help in our eAwareness campaigns e.g. Mental Health, Autism, Peace, etc
• I’m the Membership Chair for District 1100

Quite busy, but much easier first thing in the morning when I can sit at my computer and, through emails and Social Media, get lots done. Alongside all this I work 18 hours a week in my own company and ensure my family comes first – yes lots of dog walks to keep me fit.

Expectations of being a member of Click 4 Action eRotary

For others it is about connecting in with what we are doing, so you too can be involved with whatever time you are able to give:

• pop into the members forum at least once a month (more if possible, some members have a particular time each week) and catch up with the business of our eNetwork.
• each Thursday morning we publish our weekly programme on our website, please take a look sometime during the 24/7 period. Please share with your friends through the Social Media buttons on the page.
• Do join in with discussions in the Coffee Lounge on Facebook, if you have questions about Rotary post them here and don’t forget to tell us what activities you are involved in.
• On our website under the Links, there are some useful places to visit to learn more about what’s happening in other parts of Rotary.
• What activities can you help with in your local community or through a local Rotary Club or online by assisting with our eAwareness campaigns – don’t forget to share what you are doing.

The benefits of Rotary depends on what you put in, eRotary is exciting because we can do it at our own rate and when we have time. However it does need just a little of your time connecting in as suggested above to ensure everyone is in the loop that Click 4 Action eRotary is able to tell people this is what we do and how we do it.

So the challenge for 2015/16 is that every member is able to tell others that Click 4 Action eRotary is active, achieving and is doing Rotary Service above Self in our modern world.