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Why Clubs should have foreign sister clubsBy: PP Mar Reyes, SFDM

For the RI District Governors Monthly Letter, August 2011 Issue

The title of this article by no means excludes sisterhood with local clubs fromother districts. Everything we may do, with foreign sister clubs, we couldmostly do with local clubs from other districts, except probably leaving

Philippine territory.

Many clubs, by inexperience or fear of perceived expense and difficulties, shy

away from forging sisterhood relations with foreign clubs. We do not have to

be big clubs or clubs endowed with huge resources. Any club for that matter can enjoy thebenefits of an enduring and enriching experience, from doing service together, and having

fellowship, with a foreign club. After all, Rotary is supposed to promote world peace and

understanding and at the same time making our world a better place to live in. So, what is the

better way to experience the internationality of Rotary? Get into sisterhood relations withforeign clubs.

How do we get started? Begin with the opportunities of business and your professional dealings.

The late Louie Lopez, SFDMs charter member and past president started it all with our club.Because of his vast business dealings in Japan, Singapore, Hawaii and the USA, he saw to it that

his business partners and acquaintances introduced him to clubs in the countries he visited. Up to

the present, we are still recipients of the fruits of his efforts. Many Rotarians who travel abroadcan exert a little effort to know clubs in the places they visit. Even the hotels where one is

billeted may have clubs meeting next door. Those attending alumni gatherings abroad,

conventions and seminars can do the same. Professional and alumni reunions are a rich source of

getting to know foreign clubs. Only last June 29, 2011, we met Rotarian Dolores Bediones fromthe RC Honolulu Sunrise, in Makati. Her husband is a past president and many of her relatives

(she is a Panlilio) are Rotarians. She was tasked by her club to check us out because they want to

have their 1st

foreign sister club. She said a member of their club has a friend who attended ahigh school reunion of the Ilocos Norte High School in Laoag, and our Past President Arnold

Guerrero happened to be there and handed out his Rotary and professional calling card.

Most clubs began with non-Filipino members of their clubs. These foreigners introduce the clubs

in their home countries, and they eventually become sister clubs. But the biggest source of

information should be the Rotary.org, ProjectLink and rotary magazines. We should not getdiscouraged when many of the clubs we write to or send an email do not respond. In most

instances, the addresses are not updated. But those that respond, provide a good chance offorging sister club relations.

Attending RI conventions, Zone Institutes and our DGNs and DGEs when they get to their

training and International Assemblies are also excellent sources of information about foreign

clubs. Maintaining a good and updated website is also an effective way of scouting or being

scouted as a sister club. So what do you have to do when a foreign club says it wants to visityou?

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Here are my practical tips and suggested sound practices: 1. Try to determine exactly what the

foreign clubs purpose is in coming to visit you. This is important in your planning 2. Know as

much about the club and its members who are coming. If for example, spouses and children, or

their Interactors and Rotaractors are with them, certain activities may have to be planned. As

much as possible, give enough information about your club and its members, before the visitingRotarians arrive. 3. Whatever the purpose, from just a friendly visit to signing a formal

sisterhood relation, the ultimate aim is to build and nurture an enduring and mutually beneficialrelationship. 4. Plan and prepare. Your program and other activities need not be elaborate andexpensive. It is a good idea to politely asked the itinerary the foreign club has in mind, and plan

around it. The best way is for both parties to agree to an itinerary. From the airport reception to

their send-off, a detailed itinerary may be drawn and known by both parties. The basic rule here

is try your best to treat them like VIPs. The consequent rule is reciprocity. When a friendshipexchange is done, you will feel the rewards of your efforts by the way your sister club receives

and treats you in their country. Simple but elegant and dignified ceremonies, expressing

gratitude and honor for their presence are the best practices. The clubs maturity, leadership and

cohesiveness of its members are tested in this stage. Remember to prepare simple tokens, clubpins and banners. Committees and resources should be marshaled to make sure the club

functions like clockwork. 5. Establish andknow the rules of engagement. I refer to the

financial and monetary obligations. Of course, in some RI structured programs like the YouthExchange, there are established policies from the Manual of Procedure and Code of Policies, but

most of these are suggestive and are modified in actual practice.; Only those that intend to

prohibit certain activities are mandatory, such as those referring to the protection of the youth, orthose intended to preserve the goals and thrusts of RI. But who pays for what may be subject to

the agreement of both parties. So instead of fretting about the expense, try your best to get into

an understanding. Local culture of the host club may have an influence, because the Rotary

way does not necessarily apply. 6. Keep in touch and follow through. Most sister clubs get in

touch only during charter anniversaries when invitations are customarily sent out. It should not

be the case. Sending email versions of club bulletins or even by ordinary mail are a sound

practice. Even if visits are not done yearly, the next set of officers should normally be introducedby exchange of communications. When a member happens to visit the country of a sister club, a

call or better still, attending a meeting to make up, never fails to warm the heart of the sister club.

Surely, they will reciprocate the act.

The enormous rewards of sisterhood relations should not be limited to opportunities for financial

assistance like grants or direct donations or WCS projects. A club grows and develops when it

builds and nurtures sisterhood relations. Effective and interesting international service projectsmust always be in the menu because sister clubs from donor countries are always on the look out

for projects to fund. But most of all, it is the excitement and enriching experiences we get from

joint activities with sister clubs that make all our efforts worth our while. In my personalexperience, when we were invited to attend the Discon in Japan of D-2480, hosted by our sister

club RC Isesaki, whose member Tetsuo Ushikubo was the District Governor, I was presented

among others, by DG T Tetsuo, with a special gift. Our member Takahiro Yoshida interpreted

for me. DG Tetsuo actually handed me a specially folded parchment paper, with colors andstrings, unique designs and delicate attachments, which is how marriage contracts are presented

in Japan. DG Tetsuo told me: I should take care of our sisterhood relations like we take care of

our marriage, and not let the bonds (strings) be detached or broken because it is their intention tokeep our relationship an enduring, enriching and fruitful one. It was one Rotary moment I will

never forget!