Words you will hear at a Rotary club meeting

A        Apologies: If you cannot attend a meeting you need to send an apology email via the club website

Associate Member: Route by which someone can become acquainted with the club prior to joining. Also, former members who wish to maintain links with the club or return as a full member

Attendance: Attendance at each meeting is noted for meal or event charges

B        Banners: Clubs have small banners to exchange when a member visits another club

C        Classics: Short for Classics on the Common, the annual classic car show

Club Directory: List of members, contact details and their role in the club

Community Showcase: A public gathering of local charities and other community organisations to explain how they can help people and answer their questions

Council: Club President, Vice-President, Immediate Past President, Secretary, Treasurer and committee chairs meeting to run the club

D        District: UK is split into areas called Districts to aid communication and enhance resources for clubs. We are in District 1260

District Reps: Club members selected to attend District meetings

E        End Polio Now: World-wide Rotary initiative to help fund elimination of Polio

Event Manager: Club member designated to organise an event

F      Final toast: The president closes the meeting by proposing a toast to ‘Rotary and peace the world over.’ This Rotary tradition reflects the movement’s global reach and its concern for peace throughout the world.

Foundation: Rotary International charity that provides money donated by clubs to fund programmes such as End Polio Now. See also Matching Grants

H       HATS: Stands for Holiday Airport Transport Service.  A members group to help each other, e.g. providing transport to and from airports

I          Inner Wheel: A club for women, affiliated to Rotary

Insurance: Members are insured for event participation.

M       Matching Grants: Grants available to a club, matching money raised to aid a problem at home or abroad.

Mock Interviews: A means by which members help prepare young people for university or job interviews

N        Newsletter: A weekly summary of the club meeting. The editor is chosen weekly

P        Paul Harris Fellowship (PHF): Named after Rotary’s founder, the fellowship is awarded to Rotarians and others who have made a substantial contribution to the work of Rotary

Q        Quiz of Quizzes: An annual community event which raises funds for charity

R        RGBI: Short for Rotary International in Britain and Ireland. A regional organisation whose role is to lead, motivate and inspire Rotary Districts in Britain and Ireland

RI: Short for Rotary International. A worldwide service organisation, bringing together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service and advance goodwill and peace globally

RiH: Short for Rotary in Harpenden

Rotary in Harpenden: The charity that organizes and runs community events in and around Harpenden with the help of Rotary members and others

Rotary in Harpenden CIO: the registered name of the charity. CIO stands for charitable incorporated organisation, giving its members the same legal protections as a company limited by guarantee.

S       Safari Supper: A social event for club members and partners where you move from host to host for a three-course meal

Schools Carols: An annual charity fundraising concert given by a combined choir, drawn from local primary schools

Service Recognition Award: A Rotary award, given by a club to members or others, recognizing a significant contribution to the local community

ShelterBox: A charity that delivers aid to families devastated by conflict or disaster, giving them durable shelter and the tools to rebuild communities

Shoeboxes: A national Rotary scheme by which primary schools and other groups fill shoeboxes with toys and household goods for disadvantaged children and elderly people in Central Europe

Speaker Steward: The nominated club member who greets and sits with the speaker, introduces them and their talk and proposes the vote of thanks

T         Technology Tournament: An annual competition among Harpenden and St Albans secondary school pupils aimed at encouraging creative technology talent

Thought for the day: A brief comment or grace given by the House Steward at the start of a club meeting

Twinning: A formal link between two Rotary Clubs in different countries or regions

Y        Young Citizen Awards: Given to teenagers, chosen by their school or other youth organisation, to honour outstanding efforts that reflect the Rotary motto, Service above Self

Young Photographer Competition: An annual countrywide competition to recognize budding young photographers’ work

Youth Debate, formerly Youth Speaks: A nationwide annual public speaking and debating competition for school children