Fishermen of Human Beings

Rotarians receive the nontransferable task of becoming FISHERMEN OF HUMAN BEINGS when they join Rotary.

This means that as soon as we understand the meaning and true nature of our organization, we are transformed into fishermen and fisherwomen of human beings, a noble task for all Rotarians alike.

Which human beings are we interested in?

Adult men and women, who are honest, have good character and stainless reputation in both their professional and private life.

What should we do to attract them?

A well developed service project is the best way to attract these honorable citizens to Rotary. By implementing self-sustaining projects that respond to the needs of the community, we will attract and fascinate a multitude of top professionals. When invited to participate in this project before being invited to join the club, the prospect member not only learns all that the club does, but also starts to think about similar projects that would fit with Rotary’s commitment to serve the community. Our projects (or our bait) are held by several fishhooks in the shape of an “S,” symbolizing the 5 Ss of Rotary, which stand for qualities that Rotarians must have when working for our organization: SIMPLICITY, SERIOUSNESS, SAGENESS, SOLIDARITY and SERVICE.

Even though our search for human beings may take us to deep waters, we can easily identify prospect members by observing their conduct in life and their willingness to help other fellow human beings to find a solution for their problems.

The fishing line we are going to use will depend on the person’s qualities. In the case of those tougher candidates who at first may resist our

invitation, we may need to use a stronger fishing line. However, if the person already knows our organization and has demonstrated interest in joining us in our mission, then a regular fishing line will be enough. Similar to when we are trying to catch real fish, we should also provide extra fishing line, slowly reeling it in during the process, being careful not to accidentally lose the prospect member due to hastiness. Our recruitment efforts should demonstrate the principles and values for which we stand, and should these be shared with the candidate, they will certainly guarantee that we have found a true Rotarian at heart.

The fishing pole represents the whole structure of our organization. It provides support during the induction of the new member and helps us with retention efforts. This structure includes the member’s sponsor, the club, the district, international support from Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation, all its programs and personnel, as well as the community which the new member will serve.

Still thinking of our comparison, it is more enjoyable to pull in one fish at a time onto the fishing boat. Along the same lines, when we induct one new member at a time into our clubs, we are more likely to succeed with our efforts to adequately use the new Rotarian’s talents, helping him or her adapt to the new club by feeling himself or herself useful. If instead we hold mass inductions, a mixture of good and bad prospect members will enter the club and we will be forced to let some of them return to society.

Many people have never had the opportunity to go on a real fishing trip. But there are those who never pass an opportunity to do so – they either go out alone or they go fishing with a group of people. They have felt the thrill of catching a fish and are now “hooked” forever. In the same way, those who still haven’t had the opportunity to experience the excitement of “fishing for human beings” should join Rotary, get their best equipment ready, and plan for their first big fishing effort - an adventure that will surely last for a lifetime. If necessary, reach out to the “fisherman/woman” who sponsored you for some useful advice.

So this is what every new member should become after joining Rotary: a fishermen/women of human beings. Before joining a club, new members should learn about what Rotary does so that during their years of service in Rotary, they may understand what Rotary is. If all new members, from now on, are inducted along these guidelines, our problem of retention will be solved at the admission. As a result, we will be building the future by recognizing that it is in our hands.