An association of nearly 32,000 autonomous clubs in 166 countries, Rotary International is one of the world's largest service organizations. The goal for a club's membership is an up-to-date and progressive representation of the community's business, vocational, and professional interests.

Related Information Why Join Your Local Rotary Club* What's Rotary (419)* This is Rotary (001)*

Membership is vital to a Rotary club's operations and community service activities. A primary goal of the club is to continually expand the club with committed members who have the interest and ability to get involved in service and humanitarian projects. Prospective members often:

• hold - or be retired from - a professional, proprietary, executive, or managerial position;
  
• have the capacity to meet the club's weekly attendance or community project participation requirements;
  
• live or work within the locality of the club or the surrounding area.

But most importantly, all members must:

• Be passionate about active participation in the world around, so as to better the lives of all around
  

The membership process

Often a person being considered for membership is invited by a member/sponsor to attend one or more club meetings to learn more about Rotary. The sponsor may then submit the name of the candidate to the club's membership committee.

Classifications: professional representation

Rotary uses a classification system to establish and maintain a vibrant cross-section or representation of the community's business, vocational, and professional interests among members and to develop a pool of resources and expertise to successfully implement service projects. This system is based on the founders' paradigm of choosing cross-representation of each business, profession, and institution within a community.

A classification describes either the principal business or the professional service of the organization that the Rotarian works for or the Rotarian's own activity within the organization. Some examples of classifications include: high schools, universities, eye surgery, banking, pharmaceutical retailing, petroleum-distribution, and insurance agency.

Benefits of Rotary

Rotary membership provides the opportunity to:

• Become connected to your community.
• Work with others in addressing community needs.
• Interact with other professionals in your community;
  assist with RI's international humanitarian service efforts.
• Establish contacts with an international network of professionals.
• Develop leadership skills.
• Involve family in promoting service efforts.

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