By Jennifer Lee Atkin
After more than an hour of debate, district representatives at the
2010 Council on Legislation voted Monday to make e-clubs a permanent
part of Rotary International.
The measure, approved by a vote of 430 to 85, received loud applause.
“This will allow Rotarians with physical disabilities or
[scheduling] restraints to meet regularly and conduct service projects
through the Internet,” said RI Director Antonio Hallage as he presented
the proposal to the Council. Representatives from Rotary's 531 districts
are convening in downtown Chicago this week to consider more than 200
proposals, some that would make changes to RI constitutional documents.
Submitted by seven Rotary e-clubs along with the RI Board of
Directors, the measure makes permanent the six-year-old e-club pilot
project, which is set to end on 30 June.
Enactment 10-06 defines e-clubs as Rotary clubs that meet
electronically. A separate amendment, approved by a vote of 311 to 197,
allows for two e-clubs per district. E-club members have the same
responsibilities as other Rotarians to conduct service projects and
promote
The Rotary Foundation.
Some of the pilot e-clubs meet solely through online forums, while
others combine electronic with in-person meetings. Each e-club makes
that determination for itself.
Noting that the average age of an e-club member is 47, supporters
of the enactment noted that the clubs are an effective way to recruit
younger Rotarians. “If our organization is to grow globally, we must
embrace new ways to invite young members,” said Lucinda General, the
representative from District 5510 (Arizona, USA).
The 14 e-clubs boast 360 members in 30 countries and geographical
areas, and 586 service projects. E-clubs conduct meetings in Chinese,
English, Finnish, Greek, Portuguese, and Spanish. Collectively, they
have contributed almost US$150,000 to the Foundation.
“I was worried that the e-club measure wouldn’t pass,” said Gerald
Sieberhagen, of District 9270 (South Africa). “Anyone who had taken the
time to visit an e-club site before this meeting would have seen the
huge value e-clubs offer to the organization. There’s a huge opportunity
for more e-clubs to be chartered.”
Some representatives expressed concern that e-clubs would introduce
unintended side effects if they were made permanent. “As the number of
e-clubs increases, there may be a situation in which there is division
between the e-clubs and the ordinary clubs. I don’t think that this is
something we would want,” said Chohei Hashimoto, of District 2650
(Japan).
Others noted that too many questions remained unanswered about
e-clubs. "Which PETS [presidents-elect training seminar] does the
president of the e-club attend, assuming he or she is not physically in
the district? How does the district governor do his/her official visit?"
asked Chris Offer, the representative from District 5040 (British
Columbia, Canada). “Do we have to develop specific online training for
one club in the district? There are probably more questions than answers
today.”
Douglas W. Vincent, of District 7080 (Ontario, Canada), said
e-clubs presented an opportunity too valuable not to embrace. "This is
not taking anything away from Rotary; it’s adding to Rotary."
The Council will continue its deliberations through 30 April.
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