Diverse clubs hold
key to the future
O
n the outskirts of Amsterdam, 21 people from Jan Koster, past governor of District 1580 and
gather at De Houten Vier restaurant a member of the Rotary Club of Amsterdam West,
each week. The group includes members the new club was chartered in November. Bottse, of
of Dutch, Moroccan, Surinamese and Surinamese descent, says the club's diversity helps it
Turkish descent. The fourteen men and seven women reach out to the community.
range in age from 28 to 69. They come from various "It helps that our networks extend to all levels
professional backgrounds: there are designers, hotel of the community we serve, including grassroots
managers, and academics as well as lawyers and organisations, businesses and municipalities," he
accountants. Despite their differences, everyone has at explains.
least one thing in common: Rotary. The club has focused on helping children,
The newly chartered Rotary Club of Amsterdam– especially those with mental and physical disabilities.
Arena exemplifies the diverse membership that "We want to serve our community by making dreams
Rotary International leadership has stated is necessary real for the children of Amsterdam–Zuidoost," says
to keep the organisation strong. In November, the Bottse. Except for Koster, who is an honorary member
Board updated the RI statement on diversity to say, in of the new club, the Amsterdam–Arena Rotarians are
part, "A club that reflects its community with regard all new to Rotary.
to professional and business classification, gender, "We have an open mind to new developments
age, religion, and ethnicity is a club with the key to its [such as] the way we raise funds and the way we
future." serve," he says. "To me, it's all about enriching your
The Amsterdam–Arena club is based in the life by meeting people from different backgrounds."
borough of Amsterdam Zuidoost, a community of Bottse says his club would like to help other clubs
about 80,000 situated in the city's southeast corner. increase their membership. "I learned that many clubs
Andro Bottse, the club’s president, says the area is in the area of Amsterdam have difficulties attracting
"multicultural and multiethnic by definition." new members even though they try very hard," he
says. "Perhaps we can support them in their efforts."
Club charter
A group of past district governors in Amsterdam Adapted from De Rotarian by Marcel Harlaar and
determined through research that few residents of Joseph Derr.
the borough had joined a Rotary club. With support
ROTARY TODAY AUGUST 2009 ROTARY TODAY AUGUST 2009 43
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