This communication is intended to provide Rotary Clubs in District 5040 a guideline for club operations during this unprecedented time of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Every club in the district will be determining how they conduct their day-to-day business, how they consider opportunities to provide community service and how they will support and ensure the safety their fellow Rotarians. Without question, the overriding first priority is to see Rotarians and the greater Rotary communities, through the COVID-19 pandemic as safely as possible, by adhering to all regulatory orders and advisories.
Day-to-Day Rotary Business:
Should you simply shutdown all Rotary activity? Absolutely not, but you will need to conduct business differently.
- Suspend all in person regular weekly and club committee meetings. Until regulatory orders and advisories permit, Rotary clubs should not be organizing any in person gatherings. Unfortunately, this will also have to apply to all community events that you have planned.
- Look for means to conduct your weekly Rotary and club committee meetings using on line formats such as “Zoom” or other platforms such as GoTo Meetings.
- The default starting position is that Rotarians should stay at home until permitted by regulatory authorities.
Community Service:
Rotary Clubs are directed to exercise extreme caution when considering a community service project that would require a Rotarian to leave their home. It is recognized that the nature of Rotary and Rotarians is to want to help out those in need within their clubs and community. It is essential that the safety of Rotarians engaged in community service at this time be paramount.
- The default starting position: say no to a community service project unless it is absolutely clear that all regulatory orders and advisories intended to protect service providers are in place.
- When informing the club membership of a community service project opportunity that has been determined to be acceptable, there has to be complete transparency in the description of what any volunteers would be expected to do and how they would be protected.
- There can be absolutely no implied pressure on or expectation that club members should volunteer.
Decision to Volunteer:
When made aware of an opportunity to volunteer for a community service project, it is recognized that every Rotarian has the absolute right to make their own individual decision to volunteer or not. The decision by Rotarians has to be respected with no stigma attached.
Regulatory Orders/Advisories:The BC Government has a web page specifically speaking about “How can I safely help others during Covid 19.”