Welcome to Rotary eClub of the West!
If you are a Rotarian, and you are visiting this website for a make-up credit, please click on our Programs Library for a list of make up material.
How E-Club’s Came to be……
While the idea of an eClub may seem new to most Rotarians, RI recognized the potential for Rotarians meeting in an online environment quite some time ago; 2002 to be exact, when Rotary International launched a proof-of-concept pilot project including 14 pilot clubs. After more than an hour of debate, district representatives at the 2010 Council on Legislation voted to make e clubs a permanent part of Rotary International. The measure was by passed by an overwhelming 430 to 85 vote.
Another important outcome of the 2010 Council on Legislation was the decision to allow not one, but two e clubs per district. This way districts have the ability to offer both internationally and locally based e clubs. Or, they can decide to form eClubs that satisfy the passions and skills of different age groups. With over 500 Districts worldwide the potential to connect, inspire and retain Rotarians through successful eClubs is seemingly infinite.
Out of the study emerged the two most successful e club formats: “pure” and “hybrid.” RI defines a pure eClub as one that conducts 100% of its business online. This format is typically adopted by e clubs seeking geographically boundless reach. E Club One, based in Colorado, is an excellent example of a pure Rotary eClub. Its members span the globe from Italy to North Carolina! Service projects are performed on an individual basis and through member collaboration all over the world.
Rotary eClubs that choose to operate as a hybrid meet primarily online, but incorporate a face-to-face meeting once a month. This format is ideal for eClubs whose members are resident within a close geographic region. An example is the Rotary E-Club of Singapore. Both formats have clear advantages that any forming eClub should give full consideration.
For a complete list of eClubs in the Pilot Project:
http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/eclub_list.pdf
