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By PDG HW Fung & PDG Kenneth Wong

District 3450 has been having robust growth in membership since the beginning of the current Rotary year.

As of the end of March, with the total strength of 2649, our Rotary district has added 83 new rotarians, representing membership growth rate of 3.2%, it is worth to note that the rate of increase in rotarians worldwide for the same period stands at 1.4%.

It is especially pleasing to report that we will soon be adding a new club in Mongolia, as Rotary Club of Gerege with more than 20 members is applying for its Rotary club charter.

We are optimistic that momentum of growth in membership would sustain throughout this Rotary year.

We regard this as an extraordinary result attained in the midst of a very challenging year when Rotary meetings and activities worldwide are being hampered, understandably by prevailing social distancing or social lockdown restrictions of varying severity. Most Rotary Clubs around the world are conducting their regular meetings via virtual platforms.

To achieve membership growth and retention at club level in the absence of physical interaction amongst members demands relentless efforts, creativity and flexibility from Rotarians.

We would like to express our greatest admiration and gratitude to the Club Presidents, Assistant Governors for rising up to the occasion in tackling membership challenges in an extraordinary Rotary year.

We are deeply touched by all assistant governors who understand the paramount importance of strengthening club membership and they would highlight membership movement figure as key feature of their area reports during monthly District management meetings.

Members of our district membership think tanks must also be commended for their ingenuity in putting together a number of virtual Chit-Chat sessions which have proved to be valuable in connecting Rotarians from different clubs of different areas far and near on topics of common interests.

Virtual Chit-Chats featuring the good work of the “District Health Committee” and “District Peace Committee” have been held in February and March respectively, which attracted more than 85 Rotarians from dozens of Rotary Clubs.

Another Virtual Chit-Chats featuring the work of “District Preserve Planet Earth Committee” will be held in end April.

Scheduled in end of May, there will also be a Virtual Chit-Chats featuring the work of “District Grant Committee” where many award-winning service projects by Rotary Clubs will be shared.

Corresponding Virtual Chit-Chats invitations shall be released in good time so please stay tune.

Taking this opportunity, I would like to remind Rotarians regarding membership incentive initiative this year where Rotary clubs which register net membership gain after 1^st July 2021 will entitle to cash incentive of HK$1000 per member gained with maximum entitlement capping at HK$15000 per Rotary Club.

An elegantly designed, platinum plated proposer Rotary lapel pins are available for Rotarians who have successfully introduced a new member to his or her Rotary clubs. Only limited number of such pins are still available at the Rotary Information Centre. I would encourage club presidents to arrange collection of proposer pins for eligible Rotarians of their club as soon as possible.