By Henry Drury
“What’s a Passport Club?” This is a question that many Rotarians would most likely ask and it was certainly a challenge your correspondent faced when asked to write about the Melbourne Passport Club for Networker.
The Club’s story began in 2018 when ardent Rotarian Jenny Foster was encouraged by friends in Rotary, as well as past and present District Governors to activate a new style of Rotary club that would have a world-wide membership and measure club health by participation rather than attendance.
Jenny, who is currently the Club’s President-elect, as well as District Chair of International Service, somewhat expressively enthuses:
“Imagine a place where Rotarians and friends can come together to do projects that will create lasting change for people that find themselves disadvantaged, at risk or simply needing a hand to make a difference in their communities.
“Imagine a place that brings these people together to connect with others from all Rotary Clubs and Districts in person and/or online from wherever in the world to change people’s lives for the better! Here in Melbourne we are fortunate to have that place!”
Donations in Kind (DIK) is that place and Jenny describes it is a “hive of activity where we see many people getting together to not only work on their own projects but also supporting others to achieve their dreams.”
Logically, DIK was seen as the ideal base for a club that has, in Jenny’s words, “a global focus and thrives on connections and action.”
And so, it was on 15th November 2019 that it became the venue where then-District Governor Grant Hocking inducted President Maria Hicks OAM and 40 charter members.
Recruited by word-of-mouth and strong family connections, many were new Rotarians aged between 24 and 81 years, not all resident in Australia, but motivated by wanting to help alleviate “need”.
Monthly meetings are held on Zoom in real time, or by recording the meetings for those members in different time zones—it might be described as a hybrid e-Club on steroids perhaps?
Whilst the Club has little fund-raising capacity, it does reach out to partner with other clubs that may have the funds and expertise to help bring to fruition those projects that align with Rotary’s areas of focus.