New Club Meeting Days

At our April 25th Board of Directors meeting we discussed meeting attendance and the cause for its low numbers. It appears that it's the same club members that are able to attend the club meetings on a regular basis. The main cause that was brought up was that Mondays at noon it's a very difficult day for business owners to take the time off to attend the meeting. The board also made the observation that social events are better attended than regular club meetings. 
 
It was decided that we would try a format that has been adopted by other clubs in the area where we would change one of our three club meetings to a social event with a flexible day, time and venue. the board also adopted a motion to move the club meetings to Tuesdays at noon.
 
So instead of having three weekly club meeting a month we will have two.  Club Meetings will be on the First and Fourth week of the month. The second week will be reserved for Club Social events and the third week for the board meetings.
 
We are grateful to Cathy Henry, Joey Trussell, and Mike Kevorkian for spearheading the social events committee. We had our first social last Tuesday at Cats Caboose and it was great to see a lot of our club members in a relaxing atmosphere and being able to catch up. Past president Krystal even brought her family for dinner. We are looking forward to more social events like this.
 
Since 2016, Rotary International has been changing its meeting format and meeting requirements in order to give the ability for more members to participate and attend meetings. Please read Rotary Internationals Frequently Asked Questions about club flexibility:
 
 
The following is taken from Rotary International MyRotary:
 
"Many of the traditional rules and requirements that Rotary clubs have had historically, such as weekly meetings, attendance requirements, morning or lunch meetings, traditional classifications, and high costs, have limited who is able or willing to join. When we join together different perspectives and backgrounds, professions and areas of expertise, talents and resources, we can see challenges in new ways and identify creative solutions."
 

Meeting format

In what ways are clubs changing their meeting format?

Clubs are demonstrating innovation and flexibility by replacing the traditional speaker and meal meeting format with a variety of new formats. Some clubs are rotating where they meet by holding gatherings in a member’s home, a local restaurant, or other “offsite” locations such as a local business. Some clubs are meeting virtually or allowing some of their members to call into the in-person meeting. Many clubs are using meetings to plan and conduct their service projects and fundraisers, and having social events to get to know other members better. Consider surveying your members to see what new formats they would be interested in.

What are the advantages of changing the meeting format?

Changing the meeting format not only gives members a variety of club experiences, but also keeps them engaged and active in the club. It can also be more appealing to guests to have hands-on, fun, productive meetings that connect with Rotary’s values and mission. This form of flexibility also makes it easier for some members to attend meetings virtually when they would not have been able to attend in person. We recommend asking current and prospective members what they hope for in a club meeting experience.

Meeting frequency and attendance

How frequently should clubs meet?

Clubs should offer opportunities to meet twice per month at minimum. Those meetings could be traditional meetings, social outings, service projects, etc. Clubs that wish to meet more often can do so.

Are clubs allowed to remove attendance requirements?

Yes. Clubs are encouraged to relax attendance expectations or not have them at all. Our research shows that rigid rules and policies are a barrier to attracting new members and engaging current ones. Further, it excludes younger professionals who have developing careers and young families. Attending meetings is an opportunity, not an obligation.