Jessica Sherrill Rotary ARC Districts 5730 5750 5770

Jessica Sherrill Rotary ARC - Districts 5730, 5750, 5770 Rotary District 5750 Immediate Past District Governor

What is a satellite club? Satellite clubs provide another option for creating Rotary clubs. A satellite club functions as a short-term, transitional step on the way to becoming a full, independent Rotary club. This allows interested persons to become Rotarians with only 8 members.

Like all Rotary clubs, satellite clubs hold regular meetings, have bylaws and a board, and get involved in community service projects. A local Rotary club sponsors the club and provides advice and support. Satellite club members are Rotarians. Officially, they are members of the sponsor club.

When a satellite club grows to 20 members or more, it can choose to remain a satellite to its sponsor club or it can apply for a charter to become a standalone Rotary club. Some clubs prefer to continue as satellite clubs regardless of their size and enjoy the benefits of being tied to their sponsor club. You decide what’s right for your members!

Benefits to your Rotary club’s sponsorship of a Satellite Club ● Attract members from different vocations or service interests. ● Create a more affordable club experience. ● Experiment through an alternative meeting experience or format. ● Offer service opportunities and membership to a smaller, focused group. ● Bring Rotary to new, nearby communities.

How to Start a Successful Satellite Club 1. Find a sponsor club. 2. Engage at least 8 satellite members. 3. Organize - where, when, how often, goals, leadership structure, dues, community focus/impact, etc. 4. Hold an Informational Meeting for prospective members. 5. Draft satellite club bylaws. 6. Submit the forms to RI. 7. Celebrate and publicize your new satellite club.

Q. Wouldn’t a Satellite Club be in direct competition with our Rotary Club? A. Potentially yes but most likely no. It is true that some members of the sponsoring Rotary club may join the satellite club. The benefit is that you’ll have experienced Rotarians leading the way. And at the same time, you are expanding your community’s Rotary opportunities and experiences which could grown Rotary by allowing for more Rotarians.

Here are some satellite examples: Satellite to attract young professionals downtown Ponca City Rotary’s satellite club meets monthly at varying downtown locations and alternating service and social activities each time with up-to-the-minute info on Facebook. Satellite from Sunrise to Evening Rotary Club of Novato Sunrise Satellite Evening was created because morning meetings were hard for some and a potential barrier to prospective Rotarians. Satellite to attract Millennials Rotary Club of Centennial Colorado Millennial Satellite Club - the name says it all!

What questions do you have?