King of Prussia PA Rotary

Rotary Club

of King of Prussia

Pennsylvania, USA

Basic Manual

"The King of Clubs"

This web page will introduce you to:

1. ROTARY INTERNATIONAL AND OUR CLUB.

2. WHAT MEMBERS MAY EXPECT OF THEIR MEMBERSHIP.

3. WHAT OUR CLUB EXPECTS OF EACH MEMBER.

Rotary's object

The object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:

First: The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;

Second: High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying by each Rotarian of his or her occupation as an opportunity to serve society;

Third: The application of the ideal of service by every Rotarian to his or her personal business and community life;

Fourth: The advancement of international understanding, good will and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional men and women united in the ideal of service.

Our Club's Organization

Our Club was incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Club is governed by its Constitution and its By-Laws. Each year we elect our 5 officers and 10 directors. Together they comprise the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors conducts the business of our Club, while the officers implement the decisions of the Board of Directors and run the day to day operations.

Membership in our Club automatically makes you a member of The King of Prussia Rotary Club Charitable Foundation, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation organized upon the rules of Section 501 (c) 3 of the Internal Revenue Code. The Foundation's purpose is to conduct the Club's charitable activities. The Board of Trustees and its Chairperson conduct the business of the Club's Foundation. The Club supports this Foundation with funds and manpower.

Our Club's Foundation shall not be confused with The Rotary Foundation - operated by Rotary International - or with The Gundaker Foundation - operated by District 7450.

Each are separate and distinct charitable organizations at international, regional and local level. However, in some cases one Foundation matches grants provided for the other(s), or cooperate with the two others in specific projects.

Our President, with the approval of the Board of Directors, appoint members to serve on each of the several dozen committees, structured under the Four Avenues of Service.

New members are welcomed by each and every member of our Club, but they must in turn make an effort to meet and know the other members. Until everybody is acquainted with them, new members wear a temporary red badge. Each new member is assigned to one or more Club committees by the President.

Our Club also sponsors the local Interact Club, which furthers the same ideals and is a vital part of Rotary International, but which membership is limited to Upper Merion High School students. Because our territory does not encompass any major colleges or universities, the Club does not sponsor directly any Rotaract Club, which is geared towards undergraduate and graduate students, and sometimes young businesspeople and professionals up to 28 years of age.

A Rotarian may protect his/her membership if prevented from attending Club meetings, by:

* Being excused by the board of directors

* Making-up the missed meetings at any other Rotary Club, anywhere in the world. There are specific make-up rules, detailed in Rotary's Manual of Procedures.

* Participating in a club activity or program or attending district and club activities as make ups.

Rotary and You

No organization can exist without membership renovation. No organization is more important than its individual members. No organization is greater than the investment made in it by its members. No organization can thrive without ideas and challenges brought to it by its members. No organization can survive vithout the commitment and participation of all its members.

Rotary is proud of its openness, and the oportunities for membership it affords to leaders of all avocations and avenues of life, and all colors, religions, national or ethnic backgrounds, sex or marital status.

You are Rotary !

Participate for international understanding,

Participate for service,

Participate for peace,

Participate for friendship,

Participate for fellowship,

Participate for fun !

Compiled by Ernest Zlotolow-Stambler, Club Past President (1990/91)

Basic Organization

Rotary is an international organization. The first Rotary Club was organized in Chicago in 1905, by Paul P. Harris, held as the founder of Rotary. Its four members met in rotation at their business or offices, thus the name Rotary. As of January, 2000 there were 1,170,904 Rotarians in 29,268 Clubs and 528 Districts in 162 countries.

The Rotary world is divided into geographical territories within which a group of Clubs are associated. These territories are known as Rotary Districts. Our Club belongs to District 7450, which is composed of about 50 Clubs - with a total membership of over 2000 Rotarians. Rotarians are members of a specific Club, while Clubs are members of Rotary International. In other words, men and women Rotarians are not members of Rotary International, only their Clubs are.

Rotary International is governed by a President and a Board of Directors, elected by the clubs from all over the world. Districts are run by District Governors.

Each Club is an autonomous group, with its own President, Vicepresident(s), Secretary, Treasurer and Board of Directors.

The Rotary year spans from July 1 through June 30. All Rotary authorities are renewed every fiscal year, following open elections.

Implementation of Rotary's Object

The Object of Rotary is implemented through four Avenues of Service:

CLUB SERVICE

Those services which involve the succesful management of a Rotary Club.

VOCATIONAL SERVICE

Those activities promoting the 'ideal of service' throughout the business and professional world.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Encompasses all activities making a community a better place in which to live.

INTERNATIONAL SERVICE

The advancement of understanding and good will among peoples of the world.

International Service supports The Rotary Foundation, a charitable organization that is achieving - among other things - the erradication of polio thoughout the world; enables outstanding youth to study on Rotary grants; or provides funds and know how to hundreds of worthwhile educational, sanitary, health-related or humanitarian projects. It also supports The Gundaker Foundation and The King of Prussia Rotary Club Charitable Foundation, all of which are further described below.

Members' Classifications

A member's classification describes either the principal activity of a firm, or a person's business or professional activity. There is no definitive list of classifications, nor is one possible as business activities and terminology vary greatly from area to area. Also, similar businesses are organized in differing ways even within the same community.

Each Club should reflect a cross-section of the business and professional life of its community. To this end, the "10% Rule" suggests that not more than 10% of the classifications should be in any related field.

Membership Rules

An Active Member must be:

- An adult of good character and

reputation, who is:

- a proprietor, partner, corporate officer or

manager;

- holds an executive position with

discretionary authority; or

- local agent or branch representative

having discretionary authority.

He/she must have his/her place of business or residence:

- within the territorial limits of the club;

- within the limits of the city in which the

club is located;

- within the territorial limits of an

immediately adjoining club;

- within the adjacent rural territory, provided

such territory

does not belong to any other Rotary Club.

Additional Active Memberships are of two types, both of which must meet the standard qualifications for membership: adult of good character and reputation and executive position. Only one additional active per classification is permitted under each of the following subsections:

(a) - The member must be engaged in the same classification as the proposer. Same territorial requirements as an active member.

(b) - The Club may elect with permission of the holder of the classification a person per classification who is a former active member of another Rotary club and who lost his/her membership because he/she ceased to be actively engaged within the territorial limits of that club in the classification he/she held. He/she must have his/her place of business or residence within the territorial limits of the new Club.

An Honorary Member is someone who has distinguished him/herself by meritorious service in furthering the Rotary ideals. Honorary membership terminates on June 30, in the Rotary year elected, but he/she may be re-elected indefinitely. He/she does not pay dues; cannot hold office; may not vote, and has not rights in any other Rotary club (i.e. attending their meetings).

Membership in a Rotary Club is not transferable. Any Rotarian wishing to become an Active Member of another Rotary Club must undergo roughly the same procedures he or she went through when entering the initial Club.