|
Rotary clubs are nonreligious, nonpolitical and open to every race, culture and creed. Rotary does however use a classification system to establish and maintain a vibrant cross-section or representation of the community's business, vocational, and professional interests among club members. The goal is to develop a pool of resources and expertise, to successfully implement service projects. Paul Harris, the founder of Rotary, established the paradigm of choosing cross-representation of each business, profession, and institution within a community without disproportional representation from one or more professions. He wanted to avoid having a club of just lawyers or accountants and instead have a club with a diverse membership. The classification approach to membership was to avoid a Rotary club from becoming and "old boys" club where everyone is more or less the same.
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. For many years Rotary had an official "classifications" list but in recent years that has loosened up to allow individual clubs to determine what classifications actually represent a vibrant cross-section of their community.
In practical application the classification system is actually very flexible, and many different classifications are possible. It does succeed in having a club have representation from many distinct areas of the business community. It effectively brings together into Rotary fellowship many people who wouldn't otherwise have contact with one another. The membership can then really come to represent the business and professional life of the community. At a typical rotary meeting there can be seated together, say, a florist, dentist, grocer, architect, physiotherapist and a pastor. They bring to the table conversations, and to their committee work, unique perspectives that are a major strength of what is Rotary.
The classification system gives Rotarians the dual responsibility of representing their vocation within the club and of exemplifying the ideals of Rotary within the workplace.
|