“What's C-K Rotary All About?”
Fresh breeze forward into 2023-24
“Create hope in the World”
Aspiration
Every member happily, knowledgeably, and productively engaged in Rotary:
- happily: doing what we really enjoy and find rewarding;
- knowledgeably: aware of our club focus, priorities, and particular service activities as part of Rotary International;
- productively: contributing to our focus in a personally well-balanced way and communicating well through deep listening and thoughtful input with other members, those we serve, our partners, and the general public.
Focus
To demonstrate that everything we do is as a part of the world-wide Rotary International. We strive, individually and collectively, through thoughtful action:
- to follow RI’s guiding principles, including The Guiding Principles of Rotary with its Objects, Avenues of Service, and Four Way Test as a useful tool to guide our own thoughts and actions and to measure our corporate decisions;
- to follow the ideal of Service Above Self, each in our own way;
- to align our work with the seven Rotary areas of focus.
We place special emphasis on our club priorities:
- food security and housing (e.g. in partnership with Interval House, Tipi Moza; Lunch by George, St. Vincent de Paul, Robinson Community Gardens, and Lionhearts);
- serving underserved youth (e.g. through our work with Pathways to Education, BGC South East, and YMCA of Eastern Ontario);
- working with Indigenous peoples (e.g. through the work of our National and Regional committee and its partnerships with the Indigenous Peoples Partnerships Cluster and HIP (Honouring Indigenous Peoples));
- fun and fellowship (e.g. through our monthly social meetings and happy/sad bucks);
- addressing environmental concerns (e.g., in partnership with Turtles Kingston, Loughborough Public school and its greenhouse and teaching kitchen, and Little Forest Kingston)
We do this through:
- Contributing to specific projects through our service committees, through financial allocations and hands-on work;
- Collaborating closely with other clubs locally, regionally, and internationally;
- striving to build ongoing relationships with partner organizations;
- Emphasizing hand-up vs hand-out, small and startup projects or operations, and networking.
How we operate
Overall Operating Principles
- each person connects to club activities that “speak” to them;
- each person connects with some activities and/or projects;
- all members remain open to input and ideas from others.
Meetings
Meetings are the heart and lungs of our club. It’s in our meetings that we gather, learn about and discuss our work, and engage with inspiring speakers about matters of interest and concern to us. We have regularly-scheduled discussion of committee work and discussion to guide our board in its policy-making and operational decisions. Our monthly social gatherings are opportunities to get to know each other better and to celebrate our work. The greater the dialogue, the greater the impact and the sense of achievement.
Board
The board, in close consultation and communication with the whole club, sets the overall direction for the club and develops a budget. It is both a policy and administrative body.
Committees
It’s through our committees (Community Service, National and Regional, International, Youth Services/New Generations, Foundation, Membership/Communications/Club Admin, and Auction) that we do much of the detailed work of service and the underlying organizational and administrative work. Committee work ties in with the emphasis set each year by the club as a whole. Committees also bring ideas of new possibilities to the whole club for its consideration. Every member is expected to be active in at least one committee.
Auction/Bingo: our main fund-raisers
Everyone is part of this work and the auction has a wide variety of roles.
Scrum
Scrum is an intentional weekly Wednesday morning meeting, open to all, following up on our regular Tuesday meeting, taking stock, and looking forward. It’s where we orchestrate our communications and make sure operational details are attended to. It’s also a place to float ideas.
Leadership
Everyone in the club contributes to leadership in a variety of ways. This can be through assuming particular responsibilities and offices and through contributing ideas that help to shape club focus and direction.
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