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Voices of RGHF Members |
 Back in 1965, before I started to be a scholar at Veterinary School,
I visited an orientation day at the Utrecht University. I was interested
to become a member of a fraternity. In those days we had one-gender and
two-gender associations. The men’s society tried to interest me boasting
about their old boys mentality. Reason for me to choose for a two-gender
club after 18 months of compulsory military service. When I was installed as a club member in Rotary in 1982, it still was a one-gender organization. I think we, Rotarians, should regret that we needed an outside force to embrace female membership. And even now, some two decades later, we are not relaxed about the issue. I envy our Lions friends. There I see two-gender, male and female clubs all around. With them it is not an issue at all. And we Rotarians? Clubs amongst themselves blame each other ‘still’ being one-gender or having a low percentage of female members. And it goes on and on... The more we are self oriented the less energy we spend on the outside world. In my own district in The Netherlands the vast majority of clubs is two-gender. And wherever a one-gender club is located, there is a two-gender club in the vicinity. And now, in 2012, we are happy to welcome our second all-female club. Why not? Why only diversity within clubs and not between clubs? We have breakfast clubs, lunch clubs, late evening clubs, e-clubs. We have old members, young members, members in professions, retired members, male members, female members . And all over the place Rotarians group happily together in formations they prefer to concentrate on their contribution to Rotary's strategy. That’s my cup of tea…! Paul's Wife, Rita Knijff-Pot authored a book about her husband's Rotary career and her life supporting him. She is also a member of RGHF. |
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| In STAND BY YOUR MAN,
Rita Knijff-Pot describes the time in which her husband Paul Knijff
fulfilled the position of District Governor in the centre of the
Netherlands, in a personal search for what Rotary stands for (SBYM I). After that, Paul was an International Membership Coordinator. The part of the book that describes this period (SBYM II) takes you to places like Cologne, Sarpsborg (Norway), Brussels, Vienna, Bucharest and Paris. In the years 2011-13 (SBYM III), Paul served as Director in the Board of Rotary International. The book offers the reader a behind-the-scenes look at the worldwide organisation of Rotary, in a mildly satirical, relativising and critical narrative. All proceeds from this publication go towards End Polio Now and ShelterBox. STAND BY YOUR MAN by Rita Knijff-Pot ISBN 9789078094555 Paperback Pag. 240 Publisher Stili Novi |
 Sydney RI Convention. Rotary Global History Fellowship Breakfast. RI Vice President Anne Matthews receives the first copy of the English version of STAND BY YOUR MAN from author Rita Knijff-Pot |
RGHF members, who have been invited to this page, may register RGHF members, who have been invited to this page, may register If a DGE/N/D joins prior to their year, they will have more exposure to Rotary's Global History by their service year. This will be beneficial to all concerned. *Based on paid members, subscribers, Facebook friends, Twitter followers, mobile app users, History Library users, web pages, and articles about Rotary's Global History RGHF Home | Disclaimer | Privacy | Usage Agreement | RGHF on Facebook | Subscribe | Join RGHF | |