There are many myths and misunderstandings of Rotary who “Rotarians” are. One version is that Rotary is a group of wealthy businessmen who get together regularly to self-promote and meet their own needs, and who once in a while give a large donation to the community. While it may be true that in Rotary’s beginning stages the club was made up of only businessmen, but today it could not be further from the truth. In other words, Rotary has evolved. It has embraced diversity.
Today, being a Rotarian is not measured by wealth or professional stature, but a Rotarian is a dynamic part of the whole community. Whether man or woman, young or old, shopkeepers, lawyers, teachers, and service providers – all can and do find a home at Rotary, not because it provides a means to increase personal wealth, but because they are of a unified mind. Each Rotarian strives to help local and global communities, and they work to help children in need. While the contemporary Rotarian is less homogenous and more diverse, Rotarians continue to believe in the founding principles of Rotary, and they must pass the four way test: Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it promote friendships and goodwill? and Is it beneficial to all concerned? When placed in such an environment, these individuals have an opportunity to apply their time and talents for the betterment of their community by proactively working to eliminate many socio-cultural, socioeconomic and environmental problems.
Aside from the most prevalent, “Rotarian” myth, many people also believe Rotary is boring; but, on the contrary, the weekly meetings are lively, with speakers informing the members on a number of current topics. Since all of the members are on the same wave-length, easy friendships can evolve to the betterment of the individual as well as the community.
The advantages to the individual are many: newcomers to town can meet people and discover the essence of the community; people who feel a need to give back to the community will find a vehicle to do so; those who feel as if their talents are wasted can find an outlet.
Rotary is the family that helps families.
