Rotary District 7090 announces first cross-border e-club

Rotary District 7090, known as the "Best of Friends District," has announced the chartering of its first Rotary e-club.

District 7090, which stretches from Southern Ontario to Western New York, currently counts 69 clubs and 2,500 men and women in service to Rotary. District 7090 is one of 534 districts within Rotary International, a volunteer organization of business and professional women and men.

There are approximately 1.2 million Rotary Club members belonging to more than 33,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. To date, Rotary International has 129 e-clubs.

The Rotary E-Club of Southern Ontario, Canada, and Western New York celebrated its charter ceremony on July 20.

The Rotary E-Club of SOWNY, USA, has 21-chartered Rotary members who live, work, or have ties to Rotary District 7090. The Rotary E-Club of SOWNY was provisional for two years prior to its charter. Elizabeth Kovacs and Paul McAfee, members of the Rotary Club of Amherst East, and representatives on District 7090 Council, led its formation.

Paul McAfee, charter president of the Rotary E-Club of SOWNY for 2013-14, said Rotary e-clubs are filling a very important need for business, professional, and civic leaders who don't have time to attend a weekly meeting in person, but would like to help their community.

"The e-club option provides the opportunity to meet, conduct service projects, and participate in Rotary fellowship with more flexibility," he said. "And Rotarians who miss their regular Rotary meeting may make up a meeting by attending an e-club online, a valuable service for all members."

Charter member Kovacs added, "Rotary e-clubs can be very attractive to people who live in different places throughout the year, have family or work commitments, travel frequently, or have limited mobility."

For more information about Rotary International and Rotary e-clubs, visit www.rotary.org.

For more information about Rotary District 7090, visit www.rotary7090.org.

For more information about the Rotary E-Club of Southern Ontario, Canada and Western New York, USA, visit www.rotaryeclub7090.org.