Rotary Make-Ups

During my first 28 years as a member of RCM, I was able to achieve a 100% attendance record due to make-ups. As all of you know, every member of the club should attend its regular weekly meetings or make-up for an absence by attending the regular meeting of another club anywhere in the world within 14 days before or after the usual time for that meeting. Rotary clubs generally issue make-up cards for presentation to your home club. If a member presents himself at the usual time and place of a regular meeting of another club for the purpose of attending such meeting, and that club has cancelled or postponed such meeting he shall inform his club of the circumstances thereof in accordance with the 4-Way Test.

To my knowledge, there are only a few exceptions to the above, viz. whenever attending an RI Convention, Rotary Regional Conference, Rotary District Assembly, any district meeting at the direction of the RI Board, a regularly announced intercity meeting of Rotary clubs, or actively engaged in a district-sponsored service project in a remote area. Furthermore, club fellowship meetings, committee meetings, sports events, wakes or necrological services and the like, cannot be considered as make-up attendance. The logic is very simple. If these were included half the club may only be physically present in a regular weekly meeting.

Aside from fulfilling one’s personal attendance requirements, make-ups gives a member the opportunity to meet many Rotarians from other clubs. In fact, through my years of make-ups, I have touched base with many of my school contemporaries. Also, make-ups definitely improve the attendance record of the club. In an RCM meeting many years ago, there were 212 members physically present and 51 who were credited with make-ups for a club attendance percentage of 90%!

To encourage make-ups, I would like to suggest that the BALITA publish at least once a month the schedule of the meeting days, places and time of the Rotary clubs in the Metro Manila area. I had many memorable experiences attending the regular meetings of other Rotary Clubs and I am sure you will encounter the same. I will be glad to answer any questions or concerns you may have with regard to “making-up”.