ARC Hears from four new members about how we can attract and grow our organization and attract more young members to Rotary.“Where is Rotary going? Rotary is going to lunch.” So quipped George Bernard Shaw, renowned British playwriter and curmudgeon in 1922, when the Rotary phenomenon was sweeping the United Kingdom.
In his way Shaw got to the root of a problem that persists today. Rotary is well known in many countries now particularly in Latin America, Africa and Asia making it truly international in its outreach and membership. Its efforts to wipe out polio have been reported on in numerous publications.
But in the 21 st century in the country that gave it birth, most young people, if they have any impression of Rotary at all it is as a group of “mature” people who get together once a week to eat lunch and listen to a speaker.
The Allentown Rotary Club has been around for over 100 years. But while it honors that past it recognizes that to thrive it has to attract new younger members that will reflect the changing world.
At their September 28th meeting ARC members and guests got to hear from four of its new members, T. J. Schick, Jason Worley, Lisa Luciano and Kari Ryerson. This panel of young professionals was moderated by ARC member Ethel Drayton-Craig. She asked
a series of questions and afterwards had the panel field a few from the audience.
Most of them are from the Lehigh Valley. Interestingly they all said it was through a relative or family member that they got interested in Rotary. It was that way that they had gotten a view of Rotary that many of their contemporaries did not share. The reaction of friends, they said, tended to be on the order of “Rotary, what’s that?”
The consensus of panel members is that their generation is strongly committed to helping others. ARC impressed them by the number of community projects it undertakes.
ARC’S Dictionary Project, its Scholarship Program and involvement with Community Bike Works are the projects they would like to see increased and something that they believe others of their generation would find attractive. Panel members are also pleased with the current speakers program that ARC provides and the opportunity to tap members of the Club as mentors.
All in all, it was an interesting meeting. Hope to see you at an ARC lunch soon.
