Twenty eight members of the Rotary Club of Emmett voted to pursue the 2015-2017 Pilot for Innovative and Flexible Rotary Club program.  The committee is finishing the paperwork today and will be submitting it to Rotary International by the deadline tomorrow. For those not attending the meeting it was discussed that we need to do something to encourage participation of potential members in our community who cannot make the weekly lunchtime meetings because they work "over the hill" or are bound to their offices during that time of day.  In response to that need, it was suggested that Rotary Club of Emmett hold one of their weekly meetings in the evening as a way to accommodate those people.  
 
The next suggestion was that we pursue "company/corporate" or "family" memberships.  This would allow a co-worker or family member of a Rotarian to attend a meeting in place of the Rotarian if he/she could not attend a meeting for one reason or another.  That would mean the Rotarian would not get charged for an absence and it could serve as encouragement to the co-member to join as they become more familiar with Rotary and the service we provide.
 
Either one of these could create major change in how we currently do business.  The word COULD is very important as there are some variables.  Once we submit our plan, it may or may not be accepted by Rotary International.  The timeline for that decision is the end of May.  Only sixty to seventy clubs will be chosen from the USA, Canada and Caribbean area.  If our submission is approved, we then have until June to finalize our plans and make appropriate changes to the club by-laws.  The Pilot program goes into effect July 1, 2015.  We need to be aware that a requirement of the plan is that we demonstrate a +2 membership growth by July 2016 and another +2 by July 2017.  If, at the end of the pilot, Rotary International does not change their constitutional documents, the club will revert to RI's current constitutional documents.
 
The Pilot Committee will keep you apprised of the progress and we thank you for your support as we move forward!