RHINO or RINO?
By Frank Deaver
Rotary Club of Tuscaloosa, Alabama USA

     Have you ever been chased by a rhinoceros?  Even in such an unlikely possibility, it's not a race you would likely have won.  An adult rhino can weigh up to 5000 pounds, and can run as fast as 30 or 40 miles per hour.  The last thing you would want aimed at you is his pointed 18-inch horn, with all that weight and speed behind it.  It's an example, however, of the rhino's capability, once he is motivated to attack.

     Rotarians in many clubs use a similar word but with slightly different spelling.  The term RINO is the acronym for Rotarian In Name Only, someone whose name is on the club roll but whose attendance and participation are minimal.  Many clubs have challenged their members with the rhetorical question,  "Are you a member of Rotary [a RINO], or are you a Rotarian [a rhino]?"   Unfortunately, many clubs have some members who come for the meal, talk to a few people, and leave without becoming truly involved in the work of Rotary.  In most clubs, there are at least some RINOS.

     A Past District Governor confessed that for awhile after joining Rotary, he was just a member, but he said he truly became a Rotarian when he got involved in club service, and even more when he attended District Conferences and ultimately a Rotary International Convention.  Then he became (you'll excuse the expression) a "rhino," charging into a service opportunity and throwing his full weight into attacking a challenge.

     Most new Rotarians enter into membership as RINOs, and the club challenge is to promote them as quickly as possible to "rhino" status.  One club declares all members RINOs at the beginning of each Rotary Year, and they must earn the privilege of removing the RINO sticker from their name badge through such activities as greeter at meetings, committee service, sponsoring a new member, making up an absence, pledging support of the RI Foundation, etc.

     Member recruitment and pre-induction orientation can usually identify if a prospective member is truly service oriented, or expects to be "just a member."   As one club president said, "We don't need members who just want their obituary to identify them as Rotarians."  When attracting new members to Rotary, he said, "Beware of the RINO complex."

     But what of those who are already members of Rotary, but can only be defined as RINOs?  Shouldn't a club have an ongoing plan to involve its members, involving them as "rhinos" instead of RINOs?  A constant reminder to members is on the website of the Los Altos (California) Rotary Club:  "RINOs are not effective.  RINOs are not involved.  RINOs don’t contribute.  They come to lunch (occasionally) and think they are Rotarians.  But they are Rotarians in Name Only.  DON’T BE A RINO."

     Today, the world's rhinoceros population is close to extinction.  The World Conservation Union estimates that fewer than 15 percent remain, as compared to the 1970 count.  While conservations seek to halt that extinction, the Rotary challenge is quite the opposite.  Ideally, every Rotary Club should reduce or eliminate the RINO population, converting members to "Rhinos."