In 2016, I looked around at the clubs in Halifax. One stood out — a club with a mix of ages, backgrounds, and genders. I don’t know if it was their official tagline or something I made up in my head, but The Rotary Club of Halifax Harbourside wasn’t your father’s Rotary club.
And thank goodness for that.
What really sealed the deal for me was meeting with Michael Craig and Louisa Horne. They explained how Rotary worked (spoiler: no secret chants), and laid out the simple, powerful idea at the core of it all: people coming together to do good in their community and around the world. They also explained that Harbourside was doing things differently — like not enforcing strict attendance rules. As a young professional, that mattered. Life is unpredictable, and I needed a Rotary club that understood that.
At first, I was shy. I participated in a few projects, chaired a meeting or two, and proudly called myself a Rotarian. But I didn’t really get what Rotary was about. I hadn’t yet figured out how I could make an impact, and like many new members, I started to drift. I paid my dues. I skimmed the emails. But truthfully? I couldn’t have told you what the club had done last month. I was becoming what we jokingly call a “RINO” — a Rotarian In Name Only.
Not because I didn’t care. I just didn’t know how to connect. And, to be fair, my club didn’t quite know how to connect with me either.
Then came COVID. Suddenly, I had time. And Halifax Harbourside did something amazing — we evolved. We went online almost overnight. Now I could engage from wherever I was. When I showed up to my first Zoom meeting, I was nervous. Would they remember me? Would I still belong?
They did. And I did.
Little by little, I reconnected. Not because someone guilted me into it — but because I felt like I could. Like I wanted to. And that made all the difference.
Since then, Rotary has become a big part of my life — not just in what we do, but how we do it. We embraced hybrid meetings. We got serious about communication. We made being a Rotarian something that went beyond Friday mornings.
And it hasn’t been easy.
Sure, it’s simple to send an email or speak in a meeting. But true engagement? That’s harder. It means recognizing that the world has changed. Today’s Rotarians might not respond to email. Maybe they prefer a quick text. Or a meme. Or a video. Maybe they’d rather fill out a form than raise their hand. And that’s okay.
Because Rotary isn’t just about bringing people in — it’s about going to where people are.
And here’s the thing: it’s working. Because of the caring Rotarians who send us photos, updates, and shoutouts — we’re staying connected. We’re sharing stories. We’re showing that Rotary isn’t a relic. It’s alive, it’s fun, and it’s for everyone.
So here’s my ask:
Let’s keep going.
Let’s keep taking the photos. Let’s keep sharing the news. Let’s make space for every member — even the ones who haven’t figured out how they fit in yet. Because I’m proof that with the right nudge (and a pandemic), a RINO can become a fully engaged, deeply connected Rotarian.
And when you’ve got something to share — an update, a win, a thank-you, or even just a great selfie at a project — go to rchh.ca/update. That simple act fuels a machine behind the scenes that shares your story in the ways people want to hear it.
Because this — plus the great projects we take on, the incredible speakers we learn from, the fellowship and laughter we share, and the meaningful volunteering opportunities we create — is what makes Rotary worth being part of.
And if you’ve got a passion that you believe can make a difference — bring it. This is the club that will welcome it. From ideas to new concepts, don’t be shy. Grab a few fellow Rotarians and get to work. We are all united for good, and there is space here for you to lead, create, and make something wonderful happen.
We’re not your father’s Rotary club. We’re yours. And we’re better because you’re here.