Rotary Internationals is working to attract younger members to join the 106-year-old service-based organization.
Younger members are becoming much more common in Rotary clubs, according to District Gov. Jeanne Morrison.
"Young people are refreshing and revitalizing the Rotary, which is what it needs to move into the next era," Morrison said. "Everything is changing -- our fundraising is becoming more progressive with different methods, such as kickball tournaments and pub crawls, which are selling out quickly and end up with waiting lists."
Over the last three or four years, Rotary Clubs for young professionals have started to spring up throughout the district, said Amanda Fisher, president of the Rotary Club of Norwin. The group aims to attract people in their mid-20s through their early 40s.
"We've had quite a few younger people want to join because they understand the importance of community service," Fisher said. "It's stressed to them in school, and some schools even make it part of their graduation requirements."
The organization has used new means to attract younger Rotarians by embracing technology and social-networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter.
Rotary meetings typically take place around lunch during the week, which is difficult for a lot of young professionals, Morrison admitted.
Some clubs are meeting directly after work, which gets everyone together briefly in a pub or restaurant," she said. "Those kind of clubs are really starting to grow, and some of them are even doing more service than some of our established clubs."
The Rotary Club of Norwin has embraced the happy-hour meeting times, Morrison said. In addition to its Monday afternoon meetings at Pluma Restaurant, the club meets once a month from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.at Teddy's Restaurant.
"I think young people are just more aware of service," Fisher said. "They're looking for something fulfilling like service, but also to have some fun."
