The purpose of civic clubs is to serve their communities.

As those communities move further into the digital age, civic groups will have to keep pace. The Rotary Club of Chilton County is building its web presence by developing a website and utilizing Facebook.

The website, rotaryclubofchiltoncounty.com, could be the first to be maintained by local civic organizations.

Rotary Club President Roger Yeargan said the site will allow the club to communicate more effectively with the community.

“People will be able to easily find out who we are and what we are doing,” Yeargan said.

The site features a section for “News,” where readers can stay up-to-date on club activities, such as a recent meeting where Rotary Youth Leadership Awards participants Shea Rowe of Chilton County High School and Jill Vinzant of Jemison High School spoke to the club about their experience at a leadership camp.

The Rotary Club sponsored Rowe’s and Vinzant’s participation in the camp and provided each of the students with a $1,000 scholarship.

Special events and meetings are listed under a “Calendar” section, and there is a “Contact Us” section for anyone interested in learning more about the local club or Rotary International, the world’s oldest and largest civic organization.

Each club member is listed with a photograph, occupation and contact information in a “Directory” section.

The site was developed by club secretary Denise Evans, who said the site will be a continued asset to the club because of its capacity to host important documents.

Minutes from meetings and financial reports could be password protected so only members could view them, but items such as an application for the club’s annual fishing tournament fundraiser would be available for the public.

Fishermen interested in the tournament can submit their information online or download a tournament flyer.

“I think the site will increase community awareness of the club, and help us to better serve the community,” Evans said.

The fishing tournament, which offers a first-place payout of $1,500 among other prizes, will be held June 23, with launch and weigh-in at Lake Mitchell’s Higgins Ferry Park.