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親愛的扶輪社員們：

Dear fellow Rotarians,

於扶輪的社員發展，已經成為老生常談了。我們討論過如何吸引新社員並把他們引進扶輪。我們討論過防止社員流失。我們也討論過社員的流失。我們討論社員發展多到有時演講人開始談到這點，你們就會看到所有聽眾的目光開始呆滯。這種事我們以前都聽過了。

So much has been said about membership in Rotary. We talk about attracting new members and recruiting them. We talk about membership retention. And we talk about membership loss. We talk so much about membership that sometimes, when a speaker begins to discuss it, you can see all the eyes in the audience begin to glaze over. We’ve all heard it before.

當然，增加社員是能否成功發展扶輪的關鍵。如果沒有社員及會員社，扶輪便什麼也不是，由於社員們會老化，我們必須尋找新社員來新陳代謝。不僅如此，我們更必須不斷成長，以滿足我們的社區每天發生的許多新需求。

Building membership is, of course, crucial to building Rotary. Rotary is nothing without its members and its clubs, and as members age, we must find new ones to take their places. More than that, we must always be growing in order to meet the many new needs that arise in our communities every day.

但是我想增加社員人數最好的方式不是把焦點放在社員數目上──而是把焦點放在我們的扶輪社。一個真正強大的扶輪社必須具有一股巨大的吸引力。強大的扶輪社應提供友誼、聯誼、及有意義的服務的機會。它能提供社區內新的人脈關係，以及提供認識志同道合的朋友的機會，這類朋友數十年後仍然會是好朋友。

But I believe the best way to strengthen our numbers isn’t by focusing on our numbers – it’s by focusing on our clubs. A truly strong club is tremendously attractive. A strong club offers opportunities for friendship, fellowship, and meaningful service. It offers new connections within a community and a chance to meet like-minded friends, the kinds of friends who will still be close decades from now.

我們一再發現成功的扶輪社有某些共同的特色。你們可以把這些特色全部當作需要加強的扶輪社的「亟待處理事項」清單：

Again and again, we find that successful clubs have certain features in common. Together, you might think of them as a “to-do” list for clubs that need a boost:

1.評估。彼此聽聽對方想講的話，找出社員們需要什麼。

1. Assess. Listen to each other, and find out what members want.

2.強調。強調扶輪的社交層面。那是使我們結合在一起的黏膠。

2. Emphasize. Accent the social aspects of Rotary. They are the glue that binds us.

3.市場。不要把你的扶輪社當商品賣，要以行銷方式去推廣。找出人們需要什麼，盡一切努力去提供。

3. Market. Don’t sell your club as a product – market it. Find out what people want, and do your best to give it to them.

4.入社儀式。要很莊嚴及很有品味地將新社員引進你的扶輪社。

4. Induct. Bring new members into your club with dignity and class.

5.參與。使全家成為扶輪的一部份。不要讓參與扶輪的承諾導致社員們與配偶及子女疏離。

5. Involve. Make the whole family part of Rotary. Don’t let it be another commitment that takes members from their spouses and children.

6.保母。確保有一個經驗豐富的扶輪社員幫助新社員上路，至少持續一年。新手很容易迷失方向。

6. Mentor. Make sure that a seasoned Rotarian helps new members get started and stays involved for at least a year. Newcomers can get lost easily.

7.教育。繼續提供教育，但一次提供一點點即可。扶輪可以學習的地方很多，可能會多得讓人歎為觀止。

7. Educate. Provide education continuously, but give a little at a time. There’s a lot to learn about Rotary, and it can be overwhelming.

8.熱心。公開展現熱心﹗扶輪應該是很有趣的。

8. Enthuse. Show enthusiasm openly! Rotary should be fun.

社員發展歸根究底就是一句這麼簡單的話：強大的扶輪源自眾多強大的扶輪社。如果沒有強大的扶輪社，無論再如何盡心盡力去吸收及保留社員，也無法幫助扶輪成長。如果有強大的扶輪社，扶輪將會興盛，並且再為人類提供100年的服務。

Membership comes down to one simple statement: Strong clubs lead to a strong Rotary. Without strong clubs, no amount of recruitment and retention efforts will help Rotary grow. With strong clubs, Rotary will flourish and provide another 100 years of service to humanity.

W.B. (Bill) Boyd 白義德

國際扶輪2006-07年度社長

President, Rotary International, 2006-07

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