- The Rotary Club of
Reading Maiden Erlegh
Rotary uses a number of terms and abbreviations which may be
confusing to visitors and new members. This page has therefore been
put together as a reference which we hope you will find useful in
understanding more of what Rotary is about.
Ambassadorial Scholar
The idea of the Rotary Foundation sponsoring 'Ambassadors of
Goodwill' began in 1947 and since then over 31,000 scholars have
travelled and studied in over 100 countries. This is one of the
largest international scholarship programmes in the world and is
the flagship of the Foundation educational programmes. With Reading
being a University town, overseas Ambassadorial Scholars arrive
regularly and club Rotarians act as Counsellors to scholars for
their post graduate year. In that time they become very close to
the scholar, often resulting in lifetime friendships. Scholars have
come from America, Japan, Germany and Brazil.
Annual General Meeting
The club's Annual General Meeting is usually the first meeting in
May when the Club's officers and committee chairmen report on their
year's activity and the Treasurer presents the audited
accounts.
Assembly
The Club Assembly is usually the first meeting in June. The
incoming officers and committee present their respective programmes
to the club and the Treasurer presents his budget for the coming
year. The meeting is usually attended by one of the District
Officers, who comments on the proposals and reports back to
District.
Classification
Virtually all membership in Rotary is based upon a classification.
Basically a classification describes the distinct and recognised
business or professional service that the Rotarian renders to
society. The classification principle is a necessary concept in
assuring that each Rotary Club represents a cross section of the
business and professional service of the community.
In 1995 the Council on Legislation permitted the admission of
retired people who had never been in Rotary but would have been
qualified. These individuals can be admitted as past service
members and are the only Rotarians without a current or former
classification.
Club Plan
The Club Plan sets out the broad aims and aspirations of the Club
to provide clarity for members, particularly new ones. It is the
responsibility of Council for each Rotary year to develop specific
plans for that year. If this leads to a major diversion from the
aims set out in the existing Club Plan then this should be
identified and, if the variation is to be ongoing, the Club Plan
updated accordingly.
Council
This is the administrative team of the Rotary club. Council
members are elected annually and the Club President chairs the
council meetings which are held monthly.
Part of the Council consists of the Club officers who are the
Secretary, Treasurer and Senior Vice President. The remainder of
the Council is made up of Committee Chairmen comprising Social,
Programme, Membership, Community Service, Fundraising,
International, Vocation, Foundation and Youth Activities. Each
Chairman has a committee of up to six members and reports to
Council on plans and activities.
Additional members are selected to handle Press and Publicity,
Personnel and Welfare, the club Newsletter and the Shop.
Council on Legislation
Representatives attend the Council from all the countries of
Rotary, to consider proposals for changes to the rules of Rotary
International. Such proposals are submitted by Rotary Clubs and
Districts, and are communicated to the Rotary world so that members
can have an opportunity to consider the legislation. This is
usually done at special District Council meetings, so that the
District representatives know and understand the views of the
Rotarians in their District.
District
Rotary Clubs are grouped geographically into Districts. Each
district is administered by a District Governor, District Officers
and District Committee Chairmen. These District committees reflect
the committees which each individual Rotary Club maintains; the
Rotary Club of Reading Maiden Erlegh is in District 1090. District
also holds an Assembly, and organises an annual Conference.
Duties Rota
Three Rotarians are listed each week on a rota basis to perform
the duties described at the top of this web site's Diary page. To
perform these duties properly, the duty Rotarians are expected to
arrive at least half an hour before the start of the meeting.
Father Christmas
This is the Club's major fund raising activity of the year. With
the co-operation of three local garden centres, parents and
children can visit a decorated grotto where a Rotarian Father
Christmas greets the children and hands them a wrapped present
suitable for their age. This activity runs each weekend from mid
November to Christmas and on the opening day Father Christmas has
been known to arrive in a spectacular fashion either by horse drawn
carriage or helicopter.
The Club also raises funds at a local supermarket where Rotarians
shake collecting cans whilst elegantly dressed in animal
costumes.
Foundation
This is Rotary's own charity, and Club members support
international projects through the programs of The Rotary
Foundation. The Foundation was created in 1917 for the purpose of
doing good in the world, and is supported almost entirely by member
contributions.
Rotary Foundation grants also fund educational and humanitarian
programmes which include the global project to free the world from
polio, matching grants for club schemes, Group Study Exchanges,
Rotary Peace Programmes and other Rotary programmes.
Rotary Foundation humanitarian grants support projects that
provide health care and supplies, clean water, food, job training,
and education - particularly in the devel-oping world. Large-scale
Health, Hunger and Humanity (3-H) Grants support sustainable
projects that help others help themselves.
Four Avenues Of Service
Although the Avenues of Service described here are not found in
any formal part of the constitutional documents of Rotary, the
concept has been accepted as a means to describe the primary areas
of Rotary activity.
Club Service
Involves all of the activities necessary for Rotarians to
perform to make their Club function successfully.
Vocational Service
A description of the opportunity each Rotarian has to represent
the dignity and utility of one's vocation to the other members of
the Club.
Community Service
Pertains to those activities that Rotarians undertake to improve
the quality of life in their community. It frequently involves
assistance to youth, the aged, handicapped and others who look to
Rotary as a source of hope for a better life.
International Service
Describes the many programs and activities that Rotarians
undertake to advance international understanding, goodwill and
peace. International Service projects are designed to meet
humanitarian needs of people in many lands.
Four Way Test
From the earliest days of the organization, Rotarians were
concerned with promoting high ethical standards in their
professional lives. One of the world's most widely printed and
quoted statements of business ethics is The Four Way Test, which
was created in 1932 by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor (who later served
as RI president) when he was asked to take charge of a company that
was facing bankruptcy. This 24-word code of ethics for employees to
follow in their business and professional lives became the guide
for sales, production, advertising, and all relations with dealers
and customers, and the survival of the company is credited to this
simple philosophy. Adopted by Rotary in 1943, The Four Way Test has
been translated into more than a hundred languages and published in
thousands of ways. It asks the following four questions:
Of the things we think, say or do:
GSE
Group Study Exchange consists of a District team of young
professional adults, usually four in number, selected from
candidates recommended by individual Clubs. Accompanied by a senior
Rotarian who also acts as team leader, the group travels to another
country for approximately six weeks, exchanging with a group from
that District who come to visit District 1090. The group are looked
after by Rotarians in that District and they visit companies
relevant to their professions to broaden their experience. They
also visit Rotary clubs and talk about themselves and their jobs;
on returning home, the group visit clubs in District 1090 by
invitation to talk about their trip.
Handover
Handover is the last meeting in June and is a black tie event with
spouses/partners present. The outgoing President gives a speech on
his year and hands over his presidential jewel to the incoming
President, who then introduces his new officers and committee
chairmen.
The retiring President is presented with a Past President's
jewel.
Kids Out (IN)
This is a national Rotary event held on a convenient Wednesday in
mid June. The club takes physically and mentally disabled children
from a local special school, by cars or coach to Thorpe Park,
Chessington or Legoland. Lunches are provided for the children and
costs are met by the Club's Community Service Funds. Due to changes
in legislation this activity has been modified and Reading Maiden
Erlegh now runs a 'Kids In' event whererby we entertain the
children on the school premises with the help of volunteers and
staff.
Leave Of Absence
A member who is going to be unable to attend Rotary meetings for a
while, due to illness of self or family, pressure of business, or
to working abroad in a country or area without Rotary, may apply to
his Club Secretary for Leave of Absence. This can be granted by
Club Council for an appropriate period. The member is excused
attendance for that period but is still counted as absent in the
Club attendance report to District.
Matching Grant
The Rotary Foundation can support projects of Clubs and Districts
through the awarding of a grant of equal value to the money raised
by the Clubs/Districts. The Clubs/Districts must apply for the
required grant and are then responsible for the design,
implementation and monitoring of their chosen projects. It is
essential that Clubs/Districts establish a close working
relationship with the project country Clubs/ Districts and build a
spirit of trust and goodwill.
Object Of Rotary
While the original basis of Rotary was fellowship, service to
others soon became its hallmark. Each Club determines its own
service activities, which it channels through four Avenues of
Service - Club Service, Vocational Service, Community Service, and
International Service. These avenues are based on the four-part
Object of Rotary:
The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of
service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to
encourage and foster:
Paul Harris Award
Paul Harris was one of the Founders of Rotary and was very
involved in the development of Rotary which grew from a single club
in Chicago in 1905 into the global organisation we know today. The
Paul Harris Award was set up in memory of his work to recognise
outstanding contributions to the ideals of Rotary. It can be
awarded by a Rotary Club to any person, whether a Rotarian or not,
who is deemed worthy of the honour. A Paul Harris Award costs $1000
which is paid to Rotary Foundation. The recipient is known as a
Paul Harris Fellow, and receives a medallion on a blue and gold
ribbon, a special lapel badge and a citation signed by the
President of R.I. and the Chairman of Rotary Foundation
Trustees.
President's Charity
When a Rotary Club President takes office he/she nominates one or
more charities that he/she particularly wants to support during
his/her term of office. The Club will then - in addition to its
normal fund raising activities - raise the sum that the President
has committed to donate to that charity or charities.
The President will always ensure that the committed sum is
reasonable and does not detract from the demands normally placed
upon the Club's charity funds by deserving causes during the
year.
Presidents Night
This annual event is held on a Saturday evening, usually in mid
June, it is a black tie affair with dinner, speeches and dancing;
visitors and guests are welcome.
The President's speech welcomes the visitors and guests, and
highlights some of the notable achievements of the year. A reply on
behalf of the visitors and guests is usually given by an invited
dignitary.
R.I.
This stands for Rotary International, of which all Rotary Clubs
throughout the world are members. R.I. Headquarters are in
Evanston, Ilinois, USA and R.I. is an association of over 29,000
autonomous clubs in 162 countries.
Rotary is an international humanitarian service organization, the
men and women of Rotary consisting of business and professional
people who volunteer their time and resources to help others in
their local communities and throughout the world.
Rotary members meet weekly to plan service activities. Rotary
clubs determine their own service projects based on local needs and
the interests and abilities of members.
Rotary clubs are non-religious, non-governmental and open to every
race, culture and creed.
RIBI
This stands for Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland.
The Headquarters of RIBI are in Alcester, Warwickshire, and provide
an administrative organisation for all British and Irish Rotary
Clubs.
Rotaract
Members of a Rotaract club consist of men and women between the
ages of 18 and 30. They approach the world with the views and
visions of Rotary together with the various skills they have
developed in their own right as Rotaractors.
Rotaractors enjoy the fellowship of being Club members, they enjoy
raising money for their chosen charities, they enjoy working
hands-on for their local communities, and they are proud to be part
of the world-wide fellowship of Rotary.
RYLA
There are two categories in the Rotary Youth Leadership Award
scheme, able-bodied and disabled. Students are chosen by interview
and spend a week at a campsite in Wales where they are encouraged
by specialist staff to engage in group problem solving and
character building exercises such as rock climbing, abseilng and
white water rafting. After returning from the course, the students
are invited to a.Club meeting to talk about their experiences and
receive their RYLA certificate. The costs of the RYLA course are
met by the Club's Youth Activities fund.
Scatter Week
Fellowship is a very important aspect of Rotary, so Clubs will
often allocate one week in the year during which they will forego
their normal meeting venue and split up into small teams to visit
neighbouring Clubs. Occasionally Clubs will make scatter visits
well outside of their area, for example Reading Maiden Erlegh (RME)
once enjoyed the company of a Club based in Essex! RME itself
usually allocates one week in August and each scatter team reports
back at the following business meeting.
Scuff
These initials appear on a pot money pig which is circulated
around the tables from time to time at Club meetings, and Rotarians
take this opportunity to off load all their pocket tearing loose
change. The initials are rumoured to stand for Small Change Used
For Foundation.
Volunteers in Action
As the largest voluntary services organisation in Britain and
Ireland, RIBI decided to form a meeting of like minded
organisations including Inner Wheel, Lions, Round Table, Ladies
Circle and Soroptimists. This group was launched at the House of
Commons in February 2001 with Lord Ashley as the patron; the
initiative has been a great success.
World Understanding Month
February is a special month in the Rotary calendar as it has not
only been designated World Understanding Month but also includes
the anniversary of the first meeting of Rotary held on 23rd
February 1905, now designated World Understanding and Peace Day. In
designating World Understanding Month, the Rotary International
board asks all Rotary Clubs to plan programmes for their weekly
meetings, and undertake special activities, to emphasise
understanding and goodwill as essential for world peace.
Youth Speaks
This is a competition organised by the club's Youth Activities
committee. Schools are invited to enter scholars into a speech
making contest on a selected subject. The winner becomes the club's
entrant into the District Youth Speaks competition.
The Rotary Club of
Reading Maiden Erlegh
District 1090, Central Southern England
The club meets on Tuesdays at 7 for 7:30pm at: Sonning Golf Club, Duffield Road, Sonning, RG4 6GJ on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month and at the Heron On The Ford, Landsend Lane, Twyford, Reading RG10 0UE on the 2nd Tuesday of the month. Please reference the club diary for other dates.
