Your Voice, Your Solution for creating a family-friendly club

At 10:16AM on 19 November 2009, Henry Bradley III wrote: I am the D7260 membership chair and President of the Islandia-Central Islip Club in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York, USA. We were chartered in May 2008. Our club always includes our local youths and young adults in our projects like Food Drives, Towel Drives, etc. Our clubs have several fellowship activities per year that includes family and friends of Rotarians. In September of 2009, Rotarians, Family and Friends participated in a D7260 Strike-out Polio Day. We all went to see a Long Island Ducks Baseball game. When the District Governor makes his visit to our club, we make it a special event and invite our club members' family and friends. I feel the key to continued active membership is to open a line of communication between our club and our members' family so that they understand why their family member is involved in Rotary and may want to join themselves or become supporters. Having a Friends Of Rotary (email or mailing address of family & non-rotarian supporters) list helps to keep them informed of club activities that they want to participate in. I think some Rotarians may frown upon children at meetings because they feel that the parent may not be in control of their child. I guess the question would be, "How can we reach out to children of other families (locally and internationally) and not include the children of our own Rotarians?"

At 9:22AM on 16 November 2009, Genevieve Flight wrote: I am one of those who would like Rotary International to formulate a policy aimed at encouraging Rotary clubs to welcome Rotarians with children into Rotary as this is the best way forward towards getting more younger members into Rotary. I would support this policy based on my experience. I recently took my son to our club meeting which took place recently because my husband was not around and the child minder had an emergency to attend to. I notified the club officer responsible about what the situation is as I wanted to ensure I attended meeting that particular day due to some reasons. He said it is fine. I was shocked that the first time ever that I took my 3 year old son to the club, my club council had a meeting and informed one of the officers to warn me never to attempt bringing my son again to the club. Infact , majority of the members are above 65-70yrs old and I am the only one in early 30's in that club. Few others are 50-62 years bracket. I really felt so bad when this happened, despite it being the first time ever. I really wished this never happened and so pray that family friendly clubs will come up one day. Another area is that Rotary International needs to encourage provision of child care facilities during conferences or events like districts conferences,conventions and other similar events like RIBI conferences .I am one of those who likes to attend major Rotary conferences and it becomes a struggle when you had to travel out of your area and so find it difficult getting child care during the conference to enable you to participate with your family. All these need to be looked into as I am speaking from my experiences.It is not a curse for Young Rotarians to join Rotary and so they should be supported towards fulfilling their Rotary desires.Thanks for taking actions to rectify this situations..

At 8:38AM on 12 November 2009, Mike Rylko wrote: we have family members always help out at all of our events, they come as guests to any lunch meeting. Always invited to our social events.

At 4:04PM on 9 November 2009, Philip R Jeffries wrote: I firmly believe Rotary do not pay enough attention to the role that family members can play in promoting membership of Rotary. Perhaps the time has come to look at official family membership, an all inclusive approach to Rotary, and not just a place where Dad or Mum go to serve. I firmly believe that our young people must feel welcome at Rotary meetings, surely they are the future of the organisation, they have had first hand experience of what Rotary stands for from their parents, let us embrase this and invite them to be our ambassadors of the future!

At 4:05PM on 9 November 2009, Lee Kirkby wrote: Our club encourages families to be involved in most of what we do. We have family members at our meetings, partners all have their own name badges so that when they attend our events they are properly recognized. We provide understanding support when our members and their families are challenged due to job loss, need to provide care in sickness, children being supported with transportation etc. We have members who find they have to leave a meeting (our club is a dinner club) early to pick up or deliver children...and we do not sanction them for doing this. Better to have them attend for part of a meeting rather than skip it due to the obligations of family. We have had children and spouses fill in for a rotarian who could not attend a particular work event and they are made welcome and acknowledged as full participants. In the end it is all about welcoming the family presence and importance in every Rotarian's life. This is part of who and what we are and our club is stronger for their active support.

At 9:08AM on 9 November 2009, Paul Agbroko wrote: It is just as well that this poser is coming close to the month in which Rotary celebrates the observance of the family, that is in December. However, the truth for me is that any Rotary Club that does not pay adequate attention to family obligations and values of its members particularly recocnition of Roary Anns as the Inner Wheel that propels the proper Rotation of members, does so at its own peril. And your guess as to the direction in which such a club drifts inexorably, is as good as mine. Perodic fellowships with family members and recognition of birthdays and wedding anniversaries are all programs to be built in deliberately to enhance fellowships and give recognition to family values and obligations

At 8:56AM on 4 November 2009, Bernadette Le Grand wrote: was pregnant with my second child when I joined Rotary Club of Gladstone Sunrise. Children are welcome at our Club. One of our former members used to bring her primary school age daughter to our breakfast meetings. I have taken my children to handover dinners and other functions many times over the years. My husband is in Rotary Club of Gladstone Port Curtis and he and other members have taken their kids to help with selling steak burgers at the markets

At 8:57AM on 4 November 2009, Adesegun Tijani wrote: On monthly basis, we organize what we call recognition fellowship where we celebrate birthdays, wedding anniversary of Rotarians and their spouses. Spouses of Rotarians are invited to this fellowship which comes up on the last fellowship of the month. With this, family of Rotarians are brought into seeing at first hand how Rotary works. We also move our Board meetings to residences of Rotarians.

At 8:59AM on 4 November 2009, Wanda Angel wrote: I served 2 years consecutive terms as President of our rotary club. After my term, I continued to take college courses, have my third child and make room for my father in law. We have 6 people in our room and everyone is taken care of. I do miss Rotary meetings due to classes or family needs, but my full intention is to keep active as much as I can without hindering the club members. I work from home as the club web administrator and that makes me feel like I have contributed. I think the best thing for clubs to do is embrace those club members who have family comittments and offer areas that are easy on their schedules. We must look at the longer road ahead and keep the club members feeling welcomed and cared for so that when their lives are not so busy, they remain loyal to Rotary and can do more for Rotary.

At 9:02AM on 4 November 2009, Prakash Saraswat wrote: We need to understand the difficulty of each member which could be different. Younger members may have small children whom they cannot just leave at home to attend a meeting.. so they must be permitted to get the children to the meeting without complaining that children disturb the proceedings.. Involving families atleast once a month with a FAMILY NITE dinner makes the club more 'family friendly'