How and why to join a Rotary club in the West of Scotland
On March 11 The World Health Organisation declared Covid19 a Pandemic.
As the world locked down members of Rotary stepped up.
Men and women who volunteer with Rotary in the West of Scotland went into action to help fight the effects of Lockdown; they have never stopped.
Since Lockdown was imposed in Scotland on March 23 members of the 42 Rotary clubs from Campbeltown to Oban, Bothwell, Ayr, Rothesay, East Kilbride to Erskine and many others in-between did what Rotarians have done for more than 115 years: they walked towards the crisis to help tackle it.
That is Rotary’s DNA. Rotary International is one of the world’s leading volunteer, membership and humanitarian service organisations.
Do you want to play your part?
Susan Andrews, from Rotary in the West of Scotland said: “We need many more volunteers to help Rotary make a difference to their communities. Volunteering is one of the best things you can do for yourself as well as others. It can help you gain confidence, meet people, be part of a group, learn new skills, broaden your experience, make a difference to others lives and help you have fun.”
Register here for a webinar on November 12 to hear more about how you can grow with Rotary. Hear comments from Dr. Michael Zaffran, Director of Polio Eradication at the World Health Organisation (WHO) on what the polio infrastructure built up over three decades by WHO and Rotary can teach us about beating COVID-19?
Action has led to Rotary members – ordinary men and women who do extraordinary things – supporting foodbanks and delivering food parcels and where foodbanks didn’t exist, they started them. When Personal Protection Equipment was in short supply Rotarians started making and supplying it.
When pensioners and vulnerable people needed their medication, it was often Rotarians who collected it and delivered it. When money ran out to pay for food supplies for those in isolation, guess who ran fundraisers to pay the bills. Rotary did because they took action.
Supporting your community
Since the beginning of the Pandemic Rotary has supported more than 500 organisations in the West of Scotland alone raising more than £30,000. Support has been given to groups like Mental Health Foundation, The Salvation Army, Youth Projects, Pensioners Friendship groups, Family Foodshare Groups, Police Scotland Youth Volunteers, Alzheimer groups ,Community Action Network, Food Parcel groups, Combat Stress, mothers and toddlers groups, Age Concern, CHAS, Autism and Asperger’s, and Talking Newspapers. The list could go on just as the action of Rotary members will go on to help people through the Pandemic.
That’s the situation in our local area in the West of Scotland.
The action that Rotary takes does not and never will stop to help our local communities
We do not act alone.
There is an army of 1.2 million Rotary members throughout the world. We are all committed to giving Service Above Self. Rotary began as a networking organisation and still is today.
How you can join
The only test you have to pass if you want to join the action is what we call the 4-Way Test of the things we think, say, and do.
1) Is it the TRUTH?
2) Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3) Will it build GOODWILL and better FRIENDSHIPS?
4) Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
So, if you want to give Service to help others and if you can live and work by the 4Way Test then you’re already a Rotarian – you just haven’t joined yet!
As a humanitarian organisation we campaign and fight for the rights of women and children. We provide water aid and shelter to countries throughout the world. We provide medical support and care – name it and the chances are Rotarians are already on it.
On October 24 Rotary celebrates World Polio Day. In 1985 Rotary made a promise to the children of the world to eradicate polio - a horrible disease.
At that time there were more than 340,000 cases of polio a year in 140 countries. Rotarians throughout the world began fundraising to supply vaccinations to all affected countries. Rotary members went to the countries and gave children the vaccinations. Today there are fewer than 90 cases in just two countries – Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is the Rotary way that we will not stop until our promise if fulfilled.
Rotary is not a religious or political organisation. It is a completely diverse gathering of people who want to take action to help those in need.
If you would like to be part of the action – come and join us, build a stronger, better society in the West of Scotland. You will be welcome.
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