Rotaract

Rotaract: Fellowship Through Service

Rotaract is one of Rotary International’s structured programs designed to help clubs and districts achieve their service goals in their own communities and in communities abroad, fostering fellowship and goodwill in the process.

What is Rotaract?

Rotaract is a service club for young professionals and students ages 18-30. Sponsored by local Rotary clubs, Rotaract clubs provide young people with opportunities to foster leadership and responsible citizenship, and to promote international peace and understanding.

Rotaract GoalsRotaractors can, through their membership

• Develop professional and leadership skills

• Emphasize respect for the rights of others

• Promote ethical standards and the dignity of all useful occupations

• Provide opportunities for young people to address the needs and concerns of the community and our world

• Provide opportunities for working in cooperation with sponsoring Rotary clubs

• Motivate young people for eventual membership in Rotary

A Part of the Rotary Family

Rotaractors and Rotarians are partners in service. Rotarians advise promising students and young professionals, the members of Rotaract clubs. Rotaractors bring new energy to a Rotary club, inspire fresh ideas for service, increase support of projects, and help develop future Rotarians.

Rotaract Facts• Rotaract stands for Rotary

in action.

• The first club was chartered in 1968 at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, in the USA.

• Today there are over 9,539 clubs in 178 countries and geographic areas with an estimated membership of 219,397 young men and women worldwide.

About RotaractAlthough sponsored by Rotary clubs, Rotaract clubs are self-governing and self-supporting. These clubs draw members from the community, and are sometimes organized as an extracurricular activity for university students. Sponsoring Rotary clubs can provide guidance to Rotaract clubs.

Rotaract Guidelines

Rotaract clubs are encouraged to• Have a Rotarian adviser and a faculty adviser

for university-based clubs• Meet at least twice a month • Require 60% attendance of its members • Raise their own funds to carry out projects and

activities

Service Projects

Rotaract clubs are required to complete two major service projects annually to improve the quality of life at home and abroad, while expanding international understanding and goodwill.

Projects and ActivitiesProjects and activities may include:• Blood drives• Benefit concerts• Literacy campaigns• AIDS education• Environmental

clean-up efforts• Professional and

vocational forums

How to Organize a Club

1. Form a Rotaract subcommittee.

2. Identify the membership base.

3. Hold informational and organizational meetings.

4. Complete the Rotaract Club Organization List.

5. Submit list to Rotary International with US $50 charter fee.

Rotary Club Support

Successful ways to provide guidance:• Invite Rotaractors to Rotary club meetings.• Create an annual Rotary-Rotaract service project.• Develop and improve membership recruiting

strategies.• Establish a recognition program.• Publicize activities to the community and the

Rotary world.

Rotaract Club Structure

The Rotaract board of directors is the club’s governing body. It consists of the following elected officers:• President• Vice president• Secretary• Treasurer• Any other officers deemed necessary

Rotaract Club Committees

The Rotaract club president appoints the following four committees to help implement successful activities:• Club Service committee• Community Service committee• International Service committee• Professional development committee

District Structure

District Rotaract chairs are appointed to assist Rotary clubs as they administer, promote, publicize and oversee the activities of Rotaract clubs. Rotaract activities at the district level provide opportunities for• Developing joint projects• Training new club officers • Sharing ideas for strengthening club service• Promoting Rotaract extension into new areas

World Rotaract Week

Every year, Rotaractors and Rotarians celebrate the charter of the first Rotaract club during the week of 13 March. Together they participate in a variety of activities to increase Rotaract awareness in their communities.

Participate

Rotaract clubs give young adults the opportunity to serve community needs within an international framework of fun and service. Rotaract is one of the most significant and fastest growing programs of Rotary service.

Rotaract Calendar

• September – New Generations Month

• February 1 – Outstanding Project Award nominations

• March 1 – Annual club elections completed

• March 13 – Program anniversary

• March 31 – Presidential Citation

Resources

The following resources are available on the RI Web site (www.rotary.org):• Rotaract pages (includes publications)

http://www.rotary.org/en/StudentsAndYouth/YouthPrograms/Rotaract/Pages/ridefault.aspx

• Rotaract staff (e-mail to rotaract@rotary.org)

Rotaract in District 7570 Clubs Averett University Dan River Region East Tennessee State University Ferrum College James Madison University King College Liberty University Lord Fairfax Community Coll Milligan College Radford University Riverview Youth Build Roanoke College Shenandoah University VA Highlands Comm College Virginia Tech VMI / W&L U

Contacts

District Rotaract Chair Lora Gordon 540-731-4556 llgordon@radford.edu

District Rotaract Vice Chair (open)

District Rotaract Representative Amber SmithRotaract Club of James Madison U