Does Your Club Honor Your Make-Up?

[Webmasters Note: The Board of Directors of my club recently has authorized eClub One makeups, and we have had several official makeups there. We think doing things that keep members engaged in Rotary is good for retention. The following was posted on the eClub One site, and we thought it might provoke some thought. By the way, reading this does not qualify as a makeup - see the eClub One site for their process at http://www.rotaryeclubone.org/.]

February 15th, 2003 celebrated 12 months of makeup service on eClub and more than 6,500 make-ups by visiting Rotarians. Today more than 10,000 have made up.

In spite of these impressive numbers, the weekly makeups represent only 14% of our weekly visitors and one only in 10,000 Rotarians. Hardly a tradition-shattering trend.

Yet we do hear objections to the idea. At least one club we know and maybe a district here and there have decreed “No makeups from eClub”. We do not monitor multiple makeups nor issue standards for the number of makeups allowed. This is the sole prerogative of each autonomous Rotary Club.

The dialogue below between a frustrated Rotarian and the eClub One Webmaster illustrate the issue. What do you think? Please take the opportunity to share your thoughts through the email link at the bottom of this page.

To: eclubforum@graysarge.com
Subject: Controversial Makeup

Rotarian: I have made up several times on the "e-club", and I particularly enjoy it because I get to learn a bit about rotary and the make up is very time-efficient. It's also fun. But several of the members in our club have expressed their dislike for the "too easy" makeup process. I'm not sure they just don't understand the internet, or whether they just don't like the idea of not having to drive to another club, or whether they believe there's no "fellowship" involved over the internet. But nonetheless, they don't like the internet makeup. I recognize their arguments, but I don't agree. Do you hold any arguments that may help sway their opinions?? Thanks in advance for a response before Thursday 02-06-03, if possible.

eClub Webmaster: It's always disappointing when we hear that some club members and club boards discourage a make-up at eClub One. In my view they have clearly missed the point for make-ups in the first place, and secondly they have likely never visited eClub One and spent the time required for a make-up. By contrast, we recently got an email from a District Governor who was encouraging a make-up visit at eClub One as he made his club visits.

I am a 20 year Rotarian and Charter Member of Smoky Hill Rotary Club. I am a past president of that club and still a member. I am a "correspondent" member of eClub One, which means I provide support to help the club be successful, just as any club does when it's sponsoring a new club. I will share with you why I think some Rotarians think making up at eClub One is not the “real thing.”

First some background related to the historical reason for a make-up. Twenty years ago I was taught that "attendance" was a critical part of Rotary because it supports the club "classification" system. Since each of us fills a classification in a club, a club expects "committed" individuals to take up that “slot.” I remember being told that a classification was “on loan” from the club. The original concept of making up was intended to keep a Rotarian focused on Rotary once a week, but allow some flexibility to avoid violation of attendance rules.

Reading the Rotary Constitution we find that a member can be terminated if they do not “attend, or make-up, at least 60 percent of a club regular meeting in each half of the year and attend at least 30 percent of his/her own club’s regular meetings in each half of the year.”

Ideally, making up at another club should be enjoyable and the RI Constitution does not require it to be an inconvenience by “having to drive to another club.” In addition, I have reviewed the RI Manual of Operation, Constitution and By-Laws and have not seen a requirement anywhere in Rotary that says when I make-up I have to make sure I have "fellowship" or that I learn ANYTHING about Rotary while I am there. The fact is, I can simply pay for my meal, get a make-up card, and scoot just before the speaker. As long as I attend 60% of the club meeting I have stayed long enough to get a make-up. Happens all the time.

By the way, nowhere in these important Rotary documents does Rotary define the length of a meeting. It’s up to the chartered club. Rotary does however spell out clearly that a member can make-up by attending, “at least 60 percent of the regular meeting of another club or of a provisional club…” We can assume that “another club” means any officially chartered Rotary Club.

eClub One was chartered by Rotary International in January of 2002 and more than 6500 Rotarians have completed the make-up process at eClub One since February 2002. The average amount of time spent on the site is 30-40 minutes.

You may recall seeing our tag line..."All Rotary-All Day-Everyday". Those 30-40 minutes are spent learning about the many great things that Rotary clubs and individuals do around the world to promote Service Above Self. In many cases it has enlightened Rotarians to service like GSE, WCS and other programs that their own club leadership had failed to share with them. Happens all the time.

Any make-up demonstrates a person's commitment to their desire to be a Rotarian and allows that person to keep Rotary in their schedule, when they might otherwise have missed a week. Seems to me a focus on Rotary should be encouraged by other Rotarians, not discouraged. A Rotarian should not be making up at eClub One any more often then they might do at any Rotary club. As we see, Rotary International has attendance requirements that prevent that. The fact is however, if a member is not making their club meetings on a regular basis and not making up somewhere, it probably won't be long before that Rotarian is lost.

You mention that some of your members might think that eClub One is not a "real" Rotary club because it doesn't have "fellowship." First let's see if we can get them to agree that there are Rotarians in the world who find it impossible to be members of a “terra” club for perfectly acceptable reasons. They might have a handicap that prevents them from getting out of the house without significant challenges or they might be traveling with their vocation and unable to plan their time so as to allow them to be at the same place at the same time each week. They might live too far away from a Rotary club.

eClub One established categories for some of these "lost" Rotarians and they are the basis for membership. A person must be "homebound" for some reason, or their business travel prevents them from being able to attend a weekly meeting, or they are such a distance from a club they could not attend. These are individuals who would not otherwise join Rotary and whose desire for service would be thwarted.

We can recall that the Rotary motto is "Service Above Self," and nothing in the Rotary Constitution suggests that membership is based on a level of fellowship. Fellowship is a personal thing.

eClub One “attendance” is based on service by our members. An eClub member must report so many hours of "service" per year and that is how they retain their membership in this Rotary club. We can probably agree that some members of traditional Rotary clubs might have difficulty retaining membership if “attendance” was measured by “service hours.”

As I like to say, attendance in Rotary is currently measured as "butt time in a chair.” For many Rotarians it's show up at a weekly meeting, occasionally write a check, and that’s the extent of their “service.” Not that the checks aren’t needed, but it truly stretches the definition of “service.”

So, eClub One chartered to offer a place for individuals, who would otherwise not be Rotarians, to develop relationships they would otherwise not have, and provide a vehicle for them to serve others around the world through the great doorway of Rotary. Some might call this a form of “fellowship.

Just as any Rotary club, as provided by Rotary International, eClub One allows Rotarians of other clubs to visit and learn about Rotary in ways they would likely not get at a traditional club make-up. When was the last time any of us got 30-40 minutes of Rotary information during a make-up at a traditional club? Hardly “Rotary Lite” as some have suggested. I know in my own “terra” club there were complaints to our program chair after three straight weeks of speakers presenting “Rotary” material.

eClub One will never replace the terra club for those who want that face to face contact and are able to meet the requirement of being at that meeting each week, in the same place, at the same time. eClub One can meet the needs of some of those who are unable to meet these requirements. For the terra club member who wants to have perfect attendance it provides a “meeting place” to make-up in a way that presents Rotary in an informative venue. Many make-up visitors have commented that their make-up was a time of Rotary discovery and would help them return to their own club and encourage service.

Not only does a make-up at an eClub One meeting fully comply with the Constitutional requirements of Rotary International, eClub One make-ups are beneficial to Rotary in general and to each club. We need only apply the Four Way Test to the process and I think we will find that it fits very nicely.

We like to call the make-up program our “International Club Service Project For Rotarians.” I would suggest that those who might be skeptics do a make-up at eClub One, even if they do not need one. Maybe then they can see how positive it is for Rotary and certainly not harmful to their club. Remember, eClub One meets 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year...it's All Rotary - All Day - Everyday.

Article Update - 6-15-03
Another Rotarian (I am withholding his name), after reviewing this article made some positive observations about the eClub One make-up process, but also provide some "cons" to the it and I responded to him. I am including these comments as a recent update.

Rotarian: It's not fair to non-internet savvy Rotarians who have no choice but to go to another town if they need a makeup"

eClub One Webmaster: Years ago, when I was picked by my company for a very special assignment and had to travel from Denver to the home office in Chicago 90% of the time for 2 years, it was virtually impossible for me to makeup. I almost had to resign, but just walked the line as to how many meetings in a row I missed. At that time I only had 6 days before and 6 days after a meeting, but on many occasions I was gone for three or four weeks at a time and could not make up. Others in the club, far less committed to Rotary then I, could miss a meeting and then slip in and out of another meeting in our town to get their makeup and have "perfect attendance." At the time I thought that was "unfair" but over time came to understand that it's just Rotary and my own commitment level was what was important. Then of course, they changed the rule to two weeks before and after.

In addition, what a great opportunity for "internet-savvy" Rotarians to become mentors to those who are not and provide for even more fellowship on a club level. Perhaps two members, one savvy, one not, can do a makeup on eClub One together and then you have the added element of personal fellowship that you mentioned.

Another thought might be involving young people from your area to join your members to provide mentoring in both directions and use the technology as a bonding agent. We see many opportunities for the eClub One website to help bridge some of the areas that members might be reluctant to visit. eClub One is a Rotary club meeting that uses technology. It was designed to focus on Rotary...not the technology.

This same Rotarian indicated he would be recommending the rules below to his Board and I have included my responses to each of these "rules."

Rotarian: I will Propose Club Rule 1) Online makeups should never be considered a prime method of making up.

eClub One Webmaster: I assume this is the same rule you apply to all chartered Rotary clubs. If not, why not? Shouldn't the same rule, whatever it is, apply to all clubs that are recognized by Rotary International? There are currently almost 20 Internet based clubs that have been given permission to develop clubs on the web. There are many other clubs under the "new models" formula that do not provide the same kind of "meeting" that your club might. Are their make-ups restricted?

As we have shared in the article, if a member is coming back to eClub One to make up all the time (or doing a lot of makeups anywhere), that member may have some other issues and their time in Rotary could be in jeopardy. If our makeup system, which requires a person to be focused directly on Rotary for a period of time, can help your club with "retention" we think it's a good thing.

Rotarian: I will Propose Club Rule 2)  There should be a limit as to how many times in a year that a person can makeup in this way.

eClub One Webmaster: My comments above should cover this one too. If the "rule" does not exist, but a member was making up frequently at eClub One instead of attending their own meeting, what would it tell the club leadership? Are there members in your club that would rather spend time online then attend your meetings? Do Rotary clubs really need more "restrictions" and "rules" to enhance their membership? I would suggest that membership in Rotary has partly declined because some of the "old rules" do not make it attractive to individuals that might otherwise join, and that some reasonable flexibility in how a person makes up will help our clubs retain current and find new members. We think that is a good thing.

From my perspective, it would seem reasonable to wait and see if a problem *really* exists, as opposed to making a rule for a problem that might never occur. If Rotary or your club is harmed by eClub One make--ups, it would then seem the time to set some restrictive rules.

Rotarian: I will Propose Club Rule 3) The Rotarian should print out the article that they read and be prepared to give a short presentation.

eClub One Webmaster: While this is really a great idea for any club, I would hope that you do this for members who make-up anywhere. The benefit to members would be terrific, but it seems that you might be doing if for the wrong reasons. It sounds like you might be doing it to "discourage" a makeup as opposed to using it as a great opportunity to provide some Rotary information to your members.

From our standpoint it would be great promotion and would encourage those who are really into Rotary to visit eClub One. We are currently seeing more than 100 makeups per day. Recently as high as 160 a day. Visitors number almost twice as many a day. If all of these individuals take back an idea to their club, that they got at a makeup at ANY Rotary club, it would be truly unbelievable as to what Rotary could accomplish beyond what it already does to make the world a better place. So, yes, we would encourage this...as long as it's truly for the right reasons...to share the ideals and ideas of Rotary!

As you can imagine, eClub One is a passion with me, as is Rotary and my own club, Smoky Hill. After 20 years in Rotary I am still excited to see the future of Rotary as bright, as we all try to find ways to get more "Rotarians" to be "members of Rotary." I believe that eClub One can help with growth and retention...and, that's a good thing.

Gary - Webmaster eClub One