The Story of Rotary

WHAT IS ROTARY

Rotary, the world’s first service club organization can be described in many ways.

Functionally, Rotary is an association of local clubs gathered into a larger organization called “Rotary International.”  The individual Rotarian – the heart and soul of Rotary is a member of his local club; all clubs are members of Rotary International, which is headquartered at Evanston, Illinois, U S A

Officially, Rotary is defined as “a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders that provides humanitarian service, encourages high ethical standards in all vocations, and helps build goodwill and peace in the world.  Approximately 1.2 million Rotarians belong to more than 31,000 Rotary clubs located in 166 countries.”  Specifically, A Rotary club is composed of a diverse group of business and professional leaders in a community who have accepted the Ideal of Service as a basis for attaining fulfillment in their personal, vocational and community life.  In fact the ideal of service exemplified in the motto, “Service Above Self”, and the code of ethics called “The 4-Way Test” are the threads that run around the Rotary world and unite likeminded persons in thought and action, no matter what part of the world they live in, whether it be in Iceland, with its glaciers, volcanoes and geysers; in sunny Greece; in farm towns of the U S A, Middle West; in the Lake District of Cumbria, England; in thriving tropical Nigeria; in forested Papua New Guinea; in the heart of urban Tokyo, Japan; or in mountainous landlocked Bolivia. Currently, more than 1.2 million service-minded persons belong to more than 31,000 Rotary Clubs in 166 countries and geographical regions working to address various community and international service needs and to promote peace and understanding throughout the world.  Clubs meet weekly, usually for breakfast, lunch or dinner, so that all members may enjoy each other’s fellowship before they get down to the business of running the club and discussing its service goals.  Membership is by invitation only, and is based on choosing few representatives of each business, profession and institution in the community. The purpose of this "Classification" system is to ensure that the members of each club comprise a true cross section of their community’s business and professional life or endeavour.

The world's first service club, the Rotary Club of Chicago, Illinois, USA, was formed on 23 February 1905 by Paul P Harris, an attorney who wished to recapture in a professional club the same friendly spirit he had felt in the small towns of his youth.

The earliest meetings of “Rotarians” were held in the name of “acquaintance” and good fellowship, and they were designed to produce increased business for each member. However the founders soon realized that this would not be enough to keep busy persons interested and involved on an enduring basis.  Thus, the organization expanded, it deepened its purpose and developed its ideal of “Service Above Self”, which it expects its members to carry into the market place, the office and factory, the community at large and into other lands.  Official policy now specifically prohibits any attempt to use the privilege of membership for commercial advantage.

Rotarians strive to create order where there is chaos, beauty where there is ugliness, fellowship where there is loneliness and misunderstanding and health and happiness where there is poverty and disease.

Rotary, then works to bring together, in a friendly, impartial atmosphere, persons of all races, religious faith, and political beliefs.  Its bond is fellowship toward the common end of service, despite individual differences regarding the means of reaching that end.