Will I Make a Difference?

Author Nancy Eidsvik, MA, was the first woman ever elected to serve as the president of her local Rotary Club, and she undertook this community-based action research study to examine how the Rotary Club of Prince Rupert could best expand its volunteer service to the community. Her research, originally appearing in her master's thesis, provided members of the Rotary Club and the community with the opportunity to share their impressions and experiences of the Rotary Club. It offered an avenue for participation in establishing recommendations to strengthen the Rotary Club's presence in the community. She relied on a broad range of research methods, including focus groups, world cafe, interviews, and surveys. Ethical considerations included confidentiality, free and informed consent, minimizing harm, and maximizing benefits. She shares her recommendations to expand public awareness of the Rotary Club, establish a strategic plan to address organizational effectiveness, and encourage key planning to identify opportunities for volunteer services. These recommendations can be used by other Rotary Clubs and service organizations, to assist them evaluate and strategize how to best expand their volunteer services to their communities."