Why Passport clubs are a good idea

Members of the Valley of the Sun Passport Club attend this year’s district conference.

By Marco Cecala, Valley of the Sun Rotary Passport Club

When we moved to a rural location, it was getting too difficult to keep up with Rotary meetings. The nearest club was an hour away. I wanted to stay engaged, but the drive was a chore. I could visit when I was out doing errands in a town with a club, but it’s not always easy to schedule meetings around. Additionally, we traveled a lot, much of it off the grid.

We heard about the Passport club structure from a friend and decided we liked the format. We meet once a month online, and the board meets monthly. Members volunteer when and where possible.

I would describe our club as flexible, agile, and experienced. Club presidents and district governors have referred some of our members. When a member or potential member does not feel they can commit to a traditional club, they call us. 

Makeup of our members

Our club is composed of:

• Rotarians who are retired and travel a lot.
• Experienced people who know how to get things done, from unique fundraising to writing district and global grants. They want to serve but may not have much time for the social aspects of a traditional club.
• Members who are willing to donate to projects they like and know where to go to get additional support or funds.
• Young professionals who are already stretched thin. They come on board and learn how to make a difference, interacting with experienced members.

Club Experience

A lot of our club experience differs from the norm. We meet monthly on Zoom. Committees update the group and share our recent personal adventures. We try to bring in high-profile speakers and share their presentations on the district’s website. This allows us to attract people from a broader geographical area. We communicate with each other a lot when working on a committee for a project. Being united in our goals builds the connections that would otherwise occur in a weekly meeting in a traditional club.

When we slow down our professional lives, many of us go to places and see projects we have supported for years. The continued interest in those is passed on when we visit clubs and give a presentation. Other members become inspired to participate.

We use the extra time available to promote and engage other Rotarians who might have an interest in our favorite causes. There are many places to channel funds and effort within the areas of service. When we personally discuss our passion projects with others, the enthusiasm is contagious. As a Passport club, we are ambassadors for passion projects and creative ways to fund them. This is just one more way to do good in the world.

Fundraising

General fundraising is different, but successful. Online auctions are a good idea. Our members can acquire donations that will get attention. They are easy to set up, and the items get a lot of exposure.

With a club like this, things go differently than with a traditional club. Some of our members are experienced fundraisers and gather money for grants. Without a large number of members in one location, we often act as a funding source, providing assets and some members to undertake the work. We then utilize local groups to provide additional help.

One example of this is a backpack project for a school. We can acquire them, then work with parents and staff volunteers to facilitate distribution. When the project is completed, we share the success with the partner organization that helped. With that promotion, we attract new members and increase public awareness, which in turn helps us secure outside funding.

If you are finding it challenging to keep up in a traditional Rotary club, but still want to stay involved with Rotary, give some thought to a Passport club. Reach out to us if you want more information about how we have structured our club.