Canton NY Rotary - Customs and Traditions

Canton Rotary Customs, Traditions & Expectations

1. Meetings/ Sign-in

a. Sign in/Badges: Members need to sign in and pick up/wear their badge. Badges are issued by the Secretary and include the member’s name, profession and past rotary leadership positions.

b. The Cup: Members are expected to put at least a quarter 25 cents in the mug on the secretary’s table when they sign in for a meeting. Money goes towards RI Foundation.

c. Optional 50/50---$1.00/ticket available at sign in desk. Monies support Rotary International /Paul Harris Award.

d. Birthdays: The club, for a required $1.00 Donation, sings Happy Birthday during the week a member is celebrating.

e. Agenda-Normal Meeting is as follows:

1) 12:35 PM – President rings the bell, we stand, say Pledge of Allegiance, invocation ands take seats. Note: each member is expected to give the invocation based on a rotating roster listed in the weekly bumblebee newsletter.

2) 12:37 PM-Sergeant of Arms introduces guests; we do Happy/Sad Dollars (1.00 each), collect fines, sing Happy Birthday, make announcements and have fun.

3) 12:42 +/- PM- President/Vice-President introduce the speaker/program.

4) 1:10 PM- program over, 50/50 drawn, President hits bell.

5) Luncheon Programs are scheduled by the Vice-President.

f. Club Assembly-3^rd Monday of the month- members sit with their committee members and discuss committee issues and report to the club.

g. Thumbnail Sketches-New members will be asked at one point or another to do a short thumbnail presentation about themselves (5-10 min), some long time members will be asked to repeat or update their thumbnail sketches if it’s been awhile since we have had an update.

h. Good Standing- Members are expected to attend 50% of the meetings to remain in good standing. Make ups can be done at the following lunch meetings:

1) Potsdam- Wed, noon at Ponderosa Restaurant 184 Market St.

2) Massena- Tues, Elks Lodge

3) Ogdensburg-Thurs, Gran-View Restaurant

4) Also a makeup can be granted for regular meetings (within 14 days), if you attend a ROTARACT meeting, District Assembly or Conference, Club service project, club board meeting or RI Convention. Please turn in make ups to the Club Secretary.

i. Club Banners: Members can get and exchange miniature club banners when visiting other clubs, especially outside of the local area. Banners can be picked up from the club secretary and received banners can be given to Kathy Mullaney for posting.

2. New Member Induction: Once a potential member has visited the club, been officially submitted and sponsored by a member, announced to the club for two meetings and approved by the club board they are initiated at a luncheon meeting. The initiation recognizes the qualities the new member possesses and includes the new member agreeing to abide by the Principles of Rotary, “Service above Self”. Family members are welcome to attend and witness the event.

3. Fines/Donations (one dollar each unless posted):

4. Special Programs/Projects (What we do):

a. Dodge Pond: A summer camp program for special needs children is held at NYSARC’s Dodge Pond. Canton along with Potsdam, Ogdensburg, and Massena Rotary Clubs raise or donate approximately $10,000/year to fund the program. The clubs also raise funds or conduct service projects to improve the camp (i.e. lean-to, basketball court).

b. Vocational Awards: The club in conjunction with the HS Information Technology and Science Department (ITS) recognizes 4-5 times a year a high school student, his/her parents and teacher at a luncheon. The program includes introduction, awarding of a certificate and $50 check, and an opportunity for both the student and teacher to speak. A press release is then sent to the Plain-Dealer.

c. Scholarships: The club awards three different scholarships/school year. One $500 award to a HS Senior for “Service Above Self” which is based on Community Service, another $500 Leadership Award and finally a $200 Vocational Scholarship. The two $500 scholarships are announced at graduation and awarded at a summer meeting. The Vocational award is given during the HS ITS department annual award night in the Spring.

d. Community Projects: We have sponsored, built, painted, and cleaned local parks, baseball fields, village signs, beaches, public library, ice arenas, childcare center and also local bus transportation. Current projects include:

· Replacing service signs at the village entrances.

· Serving food at the Free Will dinners

· Conducting Roadside Cleanups

5. Fundraisers (How we get the money)-

Dues: Members pay the Secretary $60 in dues in January and June. This is used to pay administrative expenses.
Matching Grants: Our Rotary District does have limited Rotary Foundation dollars each year for use as matching grants with clubs. Also The Rotary Foundation has larger 3-H or humanitarian grants that clubs can apply for.
Fundraisers: Members either sell or buy their assigned tickets for both the pancake breakfast and spaghetti dinners. If purchased, unused tickets can be donated back for use by charitable organizations. Members assist as ticket sellers and/or workers at Fundraising events:

d. Canton Rotary Board: is comprised of all officers, past president and committee chairs. The board meets once a month to discuss and approve issues affecting the club.

7. Club Annual Awards: Each year the club awards, during the summer or fall, both a Paul Harris Award and a Rotarian of the Year award. Club members submit nominations and then a committee of previous winners and/or past Club Presidents selects the recipients. Paul Harris award can include nominees outside the club membership.

8. District 7040 & Rotary International

a. All Rotary Members at not just participants in the Canton Club but also members of Rotary International. Rotary International is the world's first service club organization. Its more than 1.2 million members volunteer their time and talent to further the Rotary motto, Service Above Self. Rotary's top philanthropic goal is to eradicate polio worldwide. Since establishing its PolioPlus program in 1985, Rotary members have helped to immunize more than 2 billion children in 122 countries, and have contributed more than $600 million toward a polio-free world. Separate but link is the Rotary Foundation which solicits donations from members and supports many RI programs and provides grants to Districts and Clubs worldwide.

b. District 7040: Our club is # 4610 a member of Rotary District 7040. District 7040 of Rotary International is made up of 65 Rotary clubs in Nunavut, Eastern Ontario, Western Québec and Northern New York State.

c. District and International Conferences. Each year the District conducts, new president training, a District meeting, and an annual Conference (Oct)

d. RI Programs we participate in or are offered include:

9. The Four-Way Test

The test, which has been translated into more than 100 languages, asks the following questions: