About Vocational Service

In Chicago in 1905 four businessmen, led by attorney Paul Harris, got together for lunch to share friendship and to get to know each other personally and professionally.  They enjoyed it so much, they decided to continue meeting, “rotating” their meetings among each business, and inviting others to join them.  From those humble beginnings evolved what has become Rotary today.  In District 5300, we are honoring those founders and carrying on the original business focus of the first Rotary Club by recognizing and honoring our members’ businesses and professions through Vocational Service.  As Rotary Clubs, we ask a lot of our members, both in time and in money.  As the pace of business has increased over the years, many clubs have found it challenging to recruit new members, especially younger people starting their careers and juggling family responsibilities.  People are looking for “value” in their expenditures and time.  One of the ways that clubs can give “value” to their members and offer “value” to prospective members is by helping those members personally grow and become more successful through the Avenue of Vocational Service.  While Community Service, International Service and Youth Service are all outward facing to the community and to the world, in many ways, Vocational Service can be turned around 180 degrees and become an inward facing Service to our Members. There are many ways that clubs can do this with activities such as:

• Vocational Craft Talks
• Member business sponsorships of newsletters and club activities
• Club and district business directories
• Mini professional development seminars open to members and the community and run by Rotarians

These are just a few ideas, there are many more that clubs can come up with. 

Organize a business focused Vocational Service committee in your club that can promote your members’ businesses and professions, and create ways to make your members more successful and attract new members who will see more “value” in being a Rotarian. 

Successful Rotarians make a Successful Rotary Club.

If your club would like to talk about this more, or would like me to zoom in to one of your meetings to share ideas, please reach out to me.

David Cabral
District 5300 Vocational Service Chair
Las Vegas Summerlin Rotary Club
[email protected]
(702) 427-4769