Bring guests to Rotary! We promote this message to our members continuously. It is in every Hubcap transmittal. It is also contained within the slightly different thought of the “each one, bring one” graphic. It is vitally important that we bring guests for several reasons.

 

The first and most important is to build membership. This year, a few new members sought out the Rotary Club of Arlington and found us on their own, but usually, that is not the way it happens. Almost everyone becomes a Rotarian after first being invited to attend a meeting as the guest of a member.

 

We must always bring in new members. Why? Without new members, the club eventually dissolves. We lose members because life intervenes. People move, they change jobs, and they die. For those of us who believe Rotary is an important, even vital, force for good in our community and around the world, clubs must continually bring in new energy, perspectives, and collaborators. Even guests who are not likely prospects for membership are helpful to us.

 

Guests help provide a slightly larger audience for our speakers, and we owe them that. We are a good-sized club. The ability to attract great speakers is directly proportional to the size of the prospective audience. The biggest problem very small clubs have is attracting speakers. Eventually, even the members decide the meetings are not worth the time spent. The base of the audience is, of course, our members, but if we can enlarge that base even a little, it makes for a larger group and, ultimately, one that is more attractive to potential great speakers. 

 

Guests, even those that cannot find time to join the club, help spread the word about how friendly, energetic, and important the club and its members are. It builds our reputation.

 

Finally, bringing guests helps the members enlarge their circle of acquaintances in the community. It helps with my favorite part of the Four Way Test: building goodwill and better friendships.

 

So, bring a guest, and I’ll see you at Rotary.