Frequently Asked Questions

Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million neighbours, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who come together to make positive, lasting change in communities at home and abroad. Over 35,000 clubs worldwide act to make a difference under our guiding principles of service, friendship, diversity, integrity, and leadership.

Simply tell us you are interested by clicking CONTACT US at the bottom of the homepage. You can then join us for dinner without any obligation to become a member.

Membership is open to any adult who has an interest and desire to be an active participant in Rotary’s community service activities.

The club raises funds from its Publication The New Woodend Star and other fundraising events and grants. The fundraising event can be for a specific project or held in reserve for any immediate needs in the community. Unlike many charity organizations, there are no deductions for administration or club overheads. All Rotary Clubs run two separate accounts: A Club Account which is money spent on club activities for our members and a Service Account which is money we spend on others. The Club Account receives money from annual fees, social events and the like. the money is used to pay for guests , Rotary International and district affiliation fees, social functions, club website and minor things such as name badges and awards. The Service Account receives income from fund raising activities and spends it purely on charitable and community projects.

Essentially, you are committing to being a useful member of the club to the extent of your abilities and the time you can spare. Perhaps the most important contribution you can make is to bring passion to a project. Many of our best projects come about because a member cares enough and is prepared to put in the drive and effort to get it off the ground. Every member is given a role within the club which may vary from being involved in one of the club’s committees—management of projects, project evaluation, club logistics, market management—or being responsible for some of the logistical tasks that keep the club going. The variety of roles is extensive and you have the chance to be involved in something that interests you. You are also expected to attend a reasonable number of the regular dinner meetings. Whilst there used to be a fixed minimum number of meetings to be attended each year, this is no longer a fixed expectation and the system is more flexible in recognition of the busier lives most of us lead.

Yes, there are no contractual obligations.

This is where the business of Rotary meets the social side of Rotary. We meet each week on a Thursday around 6.15 to 6.30 in the evening, have a couple of drinks, eat a good meal whilst enjoying the company of other members and guests. Partners are always welcome so please feel free to bring yours along particularly if the guest speaker is of special interest. During dinner, the President gets up to have a bit of a chat and various “business” announcements are made. This is followed by the introduction of the guest speaker (most, but not every week) who will address us for about 20 to 30 minutes. After this address and questions, we have our famous egg auction which raises money for Clept Operation in Bangladesh, project updates and the meeting ends typically around 8.30 – 9.00pm The dress code is generally smart casual.

We understand that each individual is unique, and welcome our individual differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies. Our focus in Rotary is to promote peace through respect and inclusion.

No joining fee applies and the annual membership fee is currently $290 of which over half goes to Rotary International. New members only pay a pro-rata portion of the membership based on the date of joining during the July to June Rotary year. Our meetings include an a la carte meal which currently costs $25 - $35. Drinks are available at bar costs.