INFORMATION FOR NEW & CURRENT MEMBERS

Helping You Get Engaged

What is

ROTARY IS A LEADERSHIP ORGANIZATION

WE ARE MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE LOCAL BUSINESS, PROFESSIONAL, and CIVIC LEADERS

WE MEET REGULARLY, GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER, and FORM FRIENDSHIPS

ENABLING US TO GET THINGS DONE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND INTERNATIONALLY

1. PAUL HARRIS, an attorney founded Rotary, first as a business networking club. He conducted the first meeting in Chicago on February 23, 1905. To give vision and purpose to the club the members moved to make service to others the foundation of the club. He set the high standards of service and membership for which Rotarians are known today. His idea grew quickly, and Rotary clubs began organizing in the United States and internationally. Rotary International was established and the values and tenets of Rotary were conceived and published in various statements and promulgated in the Rotary International Constitution and Bylaws.
2. THE OBJECT OF ROTARY. Worldwide, there is one Object of Rotary: to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and to encourage and foster:
   
   
   1. The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service.
   2. High ethical standards in business and professions, the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations, and the dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society.
   3. The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business, and community life.
   4. The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
      
      
3. THE FOUR WAY TEST. In Rotary’s early years, this ethical code was created, and it remains important for all Rotarian’s to live by it: 

OF THE THINGS we think, say, or do:

• Is it the TRUTH?
• Is it FAIR to all concerned?
• Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
• Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

4.   This is the worldwide motto for all Rotarians
   
   

5. ROTARY INTERNATIONAL. Often referred to as “RI,” this is the global organization to which all Rotary Clubs belong.  RI sets the standards for all Rotary Clubs and provides the framework in which every Rotary Club can function as a humanitarian service provider to the world.  RI is headquartered in Evanston, Illinois.
   
   

6. ROTARY ZONES, DISTRICTS and CLUBS. Rotary is organized geographically.
   
   
   1. CLUBS Rotary Clubs are the basic units of Rotary activity. Chartered by Rotary International(RI), they are governed by the RI Constitution and Bylaws; but, each club operates autonomously within their respective locations according to prevalent laws and customs. Satellite Clubs are approved by RI and established by chartered clubs as interim path to growing Rotary. Satellite members are official members of the chartered club. New club members are nominated and approved by the current members.
   2. DISTRICTS SUPPORT THE CLUBS Districts are a management structure established to support an assigned number of chartered clubs. An elected District Governor is an officer of Rotary International who represents the RI President and the RI Board of Directors in the field and leads their respective Rotary District.
   3. ZONES SUPPORT THE DISTRICTS AND CLUBS Zones are a management structure established to support an assigned number of Districts. An elected Zone Director serves as a member of the RI Board of Directors, and heads one or more zones. Our Rotary Club is in District 5150 consisting of 42 chartered clubs in counties of Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo. District 5150 is in Zone 27.

7. THE ROTARY FOUNDATION (TRF). This is the charitable arm of Rotary, a very well managed financial entity which makes grants to Rotary Clubs to enable them to accomplish great works for which an individual club, by itself, might not be able to accomplish.  The RI Foundation recently celebrated its 100^th anniversary and its total assets today are more than $1.25 billion.  When a club or a district wants funds for a project, our district can apply to the Foundation for a grant.

8. PAUL HARRIS FELLOWSHIPS. Every Rotarian is encouraged to make donations to The Rotary Foundation.  Our District 5150 sets an annual per capita goal of about $200.  When any Rotarian’s donations reach the $1,000 level, the members are honored by being made a Paul Harris Fellow. They are given a bronze medallion to signify their fellowship, a certificate and a lapel pin.  When their donations reach higher levels, the lapel pin is adorned with a blue sapphire for each $1000 level.  Our club seeks to maintain 100% membership as Paul Harris Fellows.

9. THE ROTARIAN MAGAZINE. This excellent publication arrives in each Rotarian’s mailbox monthly.  This monthly magazine has been in existence for more than 100 years.  It is printed in several languages, and it is distributed worldwide.  It is a well written magazine that you will come to enjoy.

10. ROTARY ON THE WEB. These are the websites with which each Rotarian should be familiar:
• The Rotary Club of Novato Sunrise Website: novatosunriserotary.org  As a club member, this website provides club news, a club membership list, information about our meetings, and a host of additional helpful information.
• The Rotary District 5150 Website: rotary5150.org   A great source of information about Rotary in the San Francisco Bay Area.
• The Rotary International Website: rotary.org  Check out this website often during the year to appreciate what fellow Rotarians are accomplishing throughout the world.  Establish a “MyRotary” portal for yourself on the RI website.
• www.eflashonline.org This is a comprehensive website providing up-to-date information about Rotary “doings” around the world. Rotarians may join as members.
11. THE ROTARY CLUB OF NOVATO SUNRISE. Our club was charted by Rotary International on May 3, 1994, as Club # 30,121 and with the official name of The Rotary Club of Novato Sunrise, a breakfast club.  In April of 2017. Our club sponsored the forming of Rotary Satellite Club of Novato Sunrise Evening, which will operate under the guidance of our club till it charters. 

12. The Rotary Club of Novato Sunrise meets 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Tuesday mornings at Moylan’s Pub at Vintage Oaks in Novato, California.  Door opens at 7:00 AM and the meeting commences at 7:15 AM, It concludes promptly at 8:30 AM. 

13. CLUB OFFICERS. We elect officers from our membership each year as specified in Club Bylaws.
14. MEMBER SPONSOR. During new members' initial year, the member's Sponsor will be the primary contact go-to person for all things Rotary.  Do not hesitate to ask for assistance.  A mentor can also be assigned to work with the new member shall the sponsor becomes busy. 
15. Every Rotarian has a Classification which denotes the vocational field in which you work or, for retired members, have worked.
16. RED NAME BADGES & WHITE NAME BADGES. At the time of your formal induction into Rotary, you will be given a red name badge to wear at our meetings.  Red badges are temporary badges which will be changed to a white permanent badge when you have completed a list of new member tasks.  We consider you to be a 100% Rotarian even prior to receiving your permanent badge.
17. NEW MEMBER TASKS. Your Sponsor will review with you a list of tasks which we ask of all new members to ensure that they meet members, service project chairs, board members and find their place in our club.  For both the Breakfast and Evening clubs, as appropriate, these tasks include attendance at one of our Club’s Board Meetings, attendance at one of our District 5150 events, finding a speaker for one of our club meetings, assisting at the sign-in desk for our weekly meetings and joining a service committee or project.
18. Not everyone can become a Rotarian.  A Sponsor is required to find new members and to bring them into the club, and one esteemed quality of our new members is that they should have leadership capabilities.  From your first day as a Rotarian, watch for opportunities to be a leader.  As you learn about existing club service projects, jump in and volunteer to be responsible for project requirements.  When you perceive some new service project, make it happen.
19. BECOME A SPONSOR. You are eligible to sponsor new members as soon as you become a member.  You already know persons who could become great Rotarians, and you should always be on the outlook for more potential members.  For assistance in sponsoring someone, talk to the Club’s Membership Director or any club member.

20. DUES, ENGAGEMENT and CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS FOR ALL MEMBERS. Please contact our club for details of club dues.  The dues are required to support the basic operations of our club and include dues towards Rotary International.  Members choose to engage in committees and projects in the Rotary Avenues of Service outlined below. Charitable contributions to The Rotary Foundation and Club Foundation are voluntary. Please contact your sponsor to discuss the details.
    
    
21. SERVICE ABOVE SELF. This is the worldwide motto for all Rotarians, and service projects are synonymous with our club.  Our club has 5 Areas of Service, and you can participate in any or all of them.  Please read the following list and discuss with your sponsor the Service Areas you would like to serve.

• CLUB SERVICE. This group is charged with making sure our meeting place, our food, and our guest speakers are all in order.  Members of the Club Service Committee have tasks no less than on every Tuesday morning for our weekly meetings.
• COMMUNITY SERVICE. This group’s purpose is to conceive, plan, and execute service projects for the betterment of our local community.  We continue to search for worthy projects that benefit our community.  Some of our Community Service Projects in which you may participate are:
• The Sunrise Rotary Smoke Alarm Project. In company with Firefighters of the Novato Fire Department, we visit every mobile home in Novato at least once per year to ensure that functioning smoke detectors are installed.  We provide the smoke detectors, and we provide replacement batteries,
• Supporting a County plan in which our club helps to prepare and serve meals to homeless men on winter evenings.
• Participating in the annual Novato Relay for Life event of the American Cancer Society.
• Maintaining a median strip on Redwood Boulevard that includes the Sunrise Redwood Grove that our club planted in 2005. Youth Service. This group’s service projects benefit the young people and the schools of our city.  Some of our club’s Youth Service Projects in which you may participate are:
• Fishing in The City. We provide a full morning of fishing and angling instruction for youngsters at Scottsdale Pond.  This is in cooperation with the California Department of Fish and Game and the City of Novato Parks and Recreation Department.  This usually occurs twice per year.
• Reading Across America Day. In December on the birth anniversary of Dr. Seuss, we visit elementary schools in Novato and read Dr. Seuss books to the classes.
• Dictionaries for Third Graders. Once per year, we visit the Third Graders in Novato’s public and private schools to sit with Third Graders and show them how a dictionary works and to present each of them with a wonderfully illustrated new dictionary of their own to keep.
• Essay Contests. We work with teachers in the local public and private schools to have their students write essays on character-building topics.
• VOCATIONAL SERVICE. The focus of this service group is on: Reaching out to Rotarians, community leaders, adults and youth, to recognize them for their business or community service that aligns with Rotary ideals of service and, Inviting or enabling them to join with our club in our community service. Rotarians offering and applying their professional and personal talents to enable service projects.
• INTERNATIONAL SERVICE. This service group is committed to service in various countries that span the globe and we coordinate with Rotary Clubs in those distant locations.    While most of our prior International Service projects have been managed by us without leaving home, Rotary International projects can sometimes morph into opportunities to visit foreign countries where our projects are located.  Some of our International Service projects have included a Microcredit project in Guayaquil, Ecuador to help break the cycle of poverty, helping to fund a Women’s Wellness and Empowerment Conference in Togo, Africa, collecting and shipping equipment and supplies to a hospital in Patzquaro, Mexico and, sending to Haiti, various non-prescription medical supplies collected from various Novato drug stores.
• YOUTH SERVICE.  This group’s service projects benefit the young people and the schools of our city.  Some of our club’s Youth Service Projects in which you may participate are:
  Fishing in The City.  We provide a full morning of fishing and angling instruction for youngsters at Scottsdale Pond.  This is in cooperation with the California Department of Fish and Game and the City of Novato Parks and Recreation Department.  This usually occurs twice per year.
  Reading Across America Day.  In December on the birth anniversary of Dr. Seuss, we visit elementary schools in Novato and read Dr. Seuss books to the classes.
  Dictionaries for Third Graders.  Once per year, we visit the Third Graders in Novato’s public and private schools to sit with Third Graders, show and demonstrate the features and resources in the dictionaries 
  Contests.  We work with teachers in the local public and private schools to have their students write essays on character-building topics.

22. FUN-n-FROLIC. In the things our clubs do, there is much fun and enjoyment.  We believe this to be so important that we have a “Fun-N-Frolic” committee which seasonally plans totally informal events.  Participating in these events are optional, but all of them are very well attended because our members enjoy them so much.
    
    
23. CLUB MEETING DO’S AND DON’TS. Our club meetings are usually rather informal, but each club member should abide by the following:
• Be on Time. The Tuesday morning meeting begins at 7:15, by which time you should have checked in, picked up your club badge, obtained your breakfast on a tray, and found a seat in which to sit.
• Several topics of conversation are to be avoided. These include politics, religion, and sex.  You may talk briefly about your business, and you will hopefully gain opportunities to conduct your business.  But please do not conduct your business at Rotary meetings.

24. BRING GUESTS. We welcome guests.  At the beginning of each meeting, you may announce to those present the name of your guest and interesting information about them.  You are expected to pay for your guest’s breakfast.

25. ROTARY PINS AND BADGES.
• Rotary International Pins. A gold plated Rotary lapel pin is given to each new Rotarian at their induction.  Wear your pin often and especially at all club meetings.  Replacement pins may be purchased at any Rotary-authorized vendor.
• Rotary Club Pins. Our club has special pins to identify members of our club.  These may be obtained from the Service Committee Chairperson.
• Rotary Club Badges. Each of our members receives at induction a small red plastic badge with their name and classification printed on it.  After the new person has completed some initial assignments, the red badge is replaced with a white plastic badge.  These badges are worn at each of our meetings.

26. FUNDRAISERS.  Our club currently sponsors one major fundraising event each year the profits from which are used to pay for the many service projects we perform.
• The Oktoberfest. In October, we host a German style Oktoberfest complete with Bratwurst, Sauer Kraut, Beer, Oom-pah bands, and German folk dancing.  In addition, there is a great silent auction. It is very important that each club member helps to make this event a fun and successful fundraiser.

27. ANNUAL PIRATES’ BREAKFAST.  Every December, on the Tuesday prior to December 25, the breakfast club puts away its typical weekly breakfast Rotary meeting, and has a Happy Holiday breakfast with Santa doling out some very interesting gifts, one of which is “The Bird.”

28. THE ANNUAL DEBUNKING. Club Presidents have a term limit of one year. In late June or early July as each Rotary Year ends, the Rotary Club of Novato Sunrise conducts a special dinner meeting to honor the outgoing club president with a fun and humorous skit (some call it Roasting!), followed by recognition of the Board of Directors members for their leadership and welcoming of the incoming President and board of directors.  All club members plus spouses, partners and other Rotarians are invited to attend.  Club members are required to pay for their own dinner even if they do not attend.