If we are to truly change the world with The Magic of Rotary, it’s up to all of us to ​foster a sense of belonging in our clubs. But every club should take its own path ​to get there, and the Action Plan can help you find your way. What does that look ​like?

Take for instance the Rotary Club of Beveren-Waas in Belgium. It was chartered ​in 1974 but has evolved with the times, developing both a strategic plan and a ​membership plan. To find new members, the club analyses the city’s professions ​to help focus its search, and all new members are quickly assigned tasks and ​roles.

The club also mixes up meeting times, alternating between evening and ​afternoon sessions, making them accessible for all members.

Sometimes, circumstances force clubs to make changes. But as people of action, ​we know that behind every obstacle is an opportunity.

The Rotary Club of Holyoke in Massachusetts was forced from its meeting place ​because of rising costs after the COVID-19 pandemic, but members took this ​setback and turned it into a strength. The club started meeting in a library ​community room that was available for no charge and catering lunch from a ​nearby deli. Lunch costs $10 per person but it’s optional, so no one has to spend ​money to attend a meeting. What a great way to work toward being “fair to all ​concerned.”

Since making this change, the Holyoke club has gained 13 members. I suspect ​part of its membership growth is due to the club’s sense of inclusivity — the first ​step toward belonging.

If you ask members what they expect from the club experience, you might find ​that your club doesn’t meet expectations. Think of this as an opportunity to ​reshape your club in exciting ways, as alternative club models are making a ​positive impact.

For example, a Rotary Fellowship called Beers Rotarians Enjoy Worldwide, or ​BREW, has worked closely with the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Rotary Action ​Group for the past eight years to assist with clean water projects. In that time, ​BREW has funneled 25 percent of its dues to those initiatives.

BREW is one of many examples of members pursuing belonging to improve the ​world.

I can’t stress enough the importance of belonging. Clubs become simply ​irresistible when all members feel that they are exactly where they need to be. ​To me, belonging is the spark that ignites The Magic of Rotary.

As you receive feedback from club members and the community you serve, I ​urge you to pursue that spark. The Action Plan can help you find the path to ​success, and if you light your way with the spirit of belonging, that path will lead ​to a bright future for your club, your community, and the world.