Welcome

Once in the Club – a ‘Red Badger’

A new member is given a Red Badge to help identify them as new so that the rest of the members will make a point of introducing themselves. In a Club our size (approximately 175 members), it can be a problem both for old and new members to get to know one another, but the effort should be made to enhance the opportunities for fellowship, an important part of Rotary. Of course, the new member’s sponsor should play a primary role in helping them to meet and get to know the rest of the members.

Blue Badge Requirements

To “earn” the blue badge that longer-term Rotarians wear, a set of requirements has been established aimed at acquainting the new Rotarian with the ways of Rotary. Many new Rotarians in our Club have been able to meet these requirements within the first three months of membership; the record is 10 weeks!

Required (all of the following):

• Maintain the Club’s ‘Good Standing’ Status*

• Serve as Greeter five times

• Deliver a 10-minute talk about the member to Club

• Attend one LARC Board of Directors meeting

• Attend or make-up 12 out of 15 meetings

• Take a one-hour Youth Protection class

• Attend three Red Badge committee meetings

• Participate in the Red Badge project

• Attend a meeting of three different committees

• Join a committee of your interest

• Visit with five Club members (business or home)

Electives (at least two of the following):

• Make up at another club or Interact meeting

• Assist the Sergeant-at-Arms

• Attend a District or Area function

• Bring significant other or guest to a meeting

Deliver dinner to RotaCare

* Good Standing means achieving attendance requirements and payment of dues and fines

Sponsor’s Role

The sponsor is the new member’s “mentor” in satisfying these requirements. The sponsor’s most important responsibility is to assure that the new member becomes involved in the activities of the Club. The best way is for the sponsor and the new member to look over the list of committees in the Club and select one or more that sound interesting. By joining in on the work of the committees, the new member quickly realizes that Rotary is much more than just a place to eat lunch once a week. Most of the satisfaction of being a Rotarian comes from participating in activities that do not take place at the weekly meetings. The earlier the new member gets involved, the sooner they begin to enjoy all that Rotary has to offer.