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‘A TIME TO RECONNECT WITH ALUMNI’

From Rotary Leader, September 2019 issue, Volume 10, Issue 2

Rotary Alumni Reconnect Week, 7-13 October, is a time to remind Rotary members and past and
current program participants of the value of staying in touch. Alumni of Interact, Rotaract,
scholarships, Rotary Peace Fellowships, and Youth Exchange are great leaders and innovators and
possess skills that can contribute to your next service project.
To inspire you to think of ways you can reconnect with alumni throughout the year, here
are five examples of how alumni and members have engaged during Reconnect Week.
1. Hold a video conference — Rotary District 7020 Alumni Association
As district alumni chair, William Inniss, of the Rotary Club of Central Cayman Islands,
Cayman Islands, established a tradition of holding an annual video conference with his
district’s alumni association. Because the district is made up of many islands in several
countries and territories, having everyone attend in-person meetings is difficult. So Inniss
found a better way to keep in touch. During the meeting, members of the alumni
association discuss their experiences and decide how best to partner with local Rotary
clubs.
2. Host a networking event — Northern Illinois Alumni Association
Members of the Northern Illinois Alumni Association; the Rotaract Club of Chicago, Illinois, USA; and Rotarians in the
Chicago region came together for an evening of networking at Rotary International World Headquarters in Evanston,
Illinois. This gave alumni, Rotaractors, and Rotarians the opportunity to get to know one another, see what Rotary and
Rotaract clubs are accomplishing, and discuss how alumni might join them.
3. Invite alumni to your district conference — District 7600
For several years, District 7600 in Virginia, USA, has included alumni in its district conference. Not only did it have a
place for the district’s alumni association to welcome its new members, but they also used Facebook Live to record a
breakout session that focused on the experiences of a Group Study Exchange member.
4. Welcome past presidents — Rotaract Club of Patan, Nepal
A president of a Rotary or Rotaract club learns a lot about leadership. The Rotaract Club of Patan recognized this and
invited 10 of its past presidents back to the club to share what they learned in that role. This led to discussions about the
future of the Rotaract club and how it can expand its potential.
5. Get alumni updates by video — Rotary Club of Invercargill Sunrise, New Zealand
The Rotary Club of Invercargill Sunrise requested one- to two-minute video updates from Youth Exchange alumni it had
sponsored. It then shared the videos with its members on Facebook. The alumni talked about the lasting relationships
they had formed with their host families and how their exchanges shaped them. When alumni can’t come to a club
meeting, video updates like these help members and alumni maintain a connection despite long distances.

‘PRESIDENTIAL MESSAGE’
Excerpts from RI President 2019-20 Mark Daniel Maloney September message

Any time is a fabulous time to bring family members on a Rotary service project or to a fundraising
event. But perhaps you have not seen many family-friendly events at your club. That is precisely why
one of my top priorities this year is to make most Rotary events welcoming to family members.
We must foster a culture where Rotary does not compete with family, but complements it. We should
never expect our members to choose between the two. That means being realistic in our expectations,
considerate in our scheduling, and welcoming of children at Rotary events on every level.

Often, the young professionals that Rotary needs to attract in order to remain a dynamic 21st-century service organization
are the very people who have the greatest family responsibilities. We must not keep these prospective young members
away from their families by holding events on evenings and weekends at which their children are not welcome.

For too long, we have closed the doors of many Rotary events to children and sometimes even spouses. What wasted
opportunities these are! Every chance we have to pass on the gift of Rotary to young people is one we must take if we are
going to grow Rotary and ensure that the next generation is fully engaged in our mission.
So, let us open our doors and do it in a fun way, with opportunities that make our children and grandchildren want to
learn more about Interact, Rotaract, and Rotary membership. Start small if you must — perhaps by holding some of your
meetings at more family-friendly times — but think about how you can continue these kinds of events for years to come.
Bringing children to Rotary events is not just fun; it also exposes them to the world! Make this a memorable year for your
family — and an unforgettable year for the ever-expanding family of Rotary as Rotary Connects the World.

Rotary on the Move October 2019 Page 6