Rotary Basics

1905

Chicago attorney Paul Harris organizes first Rotary meeting on 23 February, leading to formation of the Rotary Club of Chicago.

1906

Rotary club of Chicago provides a public toilet outside city Hall, Rotary's first community service project.

1910-11

Paul Harris elected first president of National Association of Rotary Clubs at the first Rotary Convention.

Rotary International, the world's oldest service club organization, is made up of some 31,000 clubs in more than 165 countries. Its members form a global network of business and professional leaders who volunteer their time and talents to serve their communities and the world. Rotary's motto, Service Above Self, exemplifies the humanitarian spirit of the organization's more than 1.2 million members. Strong fellowship among Rotarians and meaningful community and international service projects characterize Rotary worldwide.

Rotary enjoys a rich and sometimes complex tradition and organizational structure, with many programs and customs that can be confusing to new and even not-so-new members. The following pages offer a basic Rotary education - the fundamental knowledge that will make every member better informed about Rotary and proud to be a Rotarian.
 

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1911-13

Clubs formed in Canada, Great Britain, and Ireland: organization name changes to International Association of Rotary Clubs.

1915-16

Club chartered in Cuba, the first non-English speaking Rotary Country.

1916-17

President Arch Klumph proposes establishing an endowment fund, precursor of The Rotary Foundation.

          "The more I learn
about Rotary, the more
    I love Rotary."
      - Michael P Slevnik, USA

| The organization of Rotary |

Rotary is essentially a grassroots organization, with most of its service efforts being carried out at the club level. The District and international structure is designed to support the clubs and help them provide more service in their communities and abroad.

CLUBS Rotarians are members of Rotary clubs, which belong to the global association Rotary International (RI). Each club elects its own officers and enjoys considerable autonomy within the framework of Rotary's constitution and bylaws.

RI SECRETARIAT Rotary International is headquartered in the Chicago suburb of Evanston, Illinois, USA, with seven international offices in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, India, Japan, Korea, and Switzerland. The RI in Great Britain and Ireland (RIBI) office, in England, serves clubs and districts in that region. The Secretariat's active managing officer is the RI general secretary, who heads a staff of about 600 people, working to serve Rotarians worldwide.                                                                                                                                       <Previous        Next>

"Rotary lets you give
     something back, in the knowledge that you belong
    to the largest family of
       givers."
    - Deanna Ann Duguid, Indonesia

1942-43

Rotary conference in London on education and cultural exchange sets stage for UNESCO.

1945-46

Forty-nine Rotarians help draft the UN charter.

1946-47

Founder Paul Harris dies in Chicago; outpouring of funds from Rotarians used to establish fellowship program.

1948-49

First 18 Rotary Fellows study abroad, a precursor of Ambassadorial Scholarships.

The club is the cornerstone of Rotary, where the most meaningful work is carried out. All effective Rotary clubs exhibit four key characteristics: they sustain or increase their membership base, participate in service projects that benefit their own community and those in other countries, support The Rotary Foundation of RI financially and through program participation, and develop leaders capable of serving in Rotary beyond the club level.

What Rotarians get out of Rotary depends largely on what they put into it. Many membership requirements are designed to help members more fully enjoy their Rotary experience.

ATTENDANCE Attending weekly club meetings allows members to enjoy their club's fellowship and enrich their professional and personal knowledge. If members miss their own club's meeting, they are encouraged to expand their Rotary horizons by attending make-up meetings at any Rotary club in the world--a practice that guarantees Rotarians a warm welcome in communities around the globe. For meeting Places and time consult the Official Directory or use the Club Locator at http://www.rotary.org/support/clubs/index.html, on the RI Web site.

SERVICE By participating in club service projects, members learn about their club's involvement in local and international projects and can volunteer their time and talents where they are most needed.

MEMBERSHIP RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION To keep clubs strong, every Rotarian must share the responsibility of bringing new people into Rotary. Even new members can bring guests to meetings or invite them to participate in a service project. The value of Rotary speaks for itself, and the best way to spark the interest of potential members is by letting them experience fellowship and service firsthand. Keeping members interested in Rotary is another responsibility. Good club fellowship and early involvement in service projects are two of the best ways to sustain the club's membership.

"Thanks to Rotary, my efforts to make the world
                                     a better place are multiplied. I'm no longer alone."
                - Fernando Aguirre Palacios, Ecuador

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TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR ROTARY MEMBERSHIP

CELEBRATING
100 YEARS OF
ROTARY SERVICE

On 23 February 2005, Rotary will turn 100, an event that Rotarians worldwide will celebrate in a uniquely Rotarian way: through service and fellowship.

In 2003, many clubs launched a diverse range of centennial projects designed to fill a need in their community, spotlight the club's good works over time, and tell the world about Rotary's rich history. A club in Turkey is working to provide clean drinking water for 5,000 people in 21 villages, while a club in England is refurbishing computers and distributing them to schools and community organizations, and Moroccan Rotarians are creating a treatment center for burn victims.

Clubs are also marking the Rotary Centennial by participating in the Twin Clubs Program, which encourages clubs in different countries to form partnerships. The centennial year will see clubs in Japan and Thailand working to support a Thai AIDS hospice, Canadian and Honduran clubs providing a mobile children's library in Honduras, and many other twin clubs organizing Rotary Friendship Exchanges.

Overall, these centennial efforts will touch every part of the globe, clearly demonstrating Rotary's commitment to making the world a better place.
 

1962-63

First Interact club formed in Melbourne, Florida, USA. World Community Service program launched.

1964-66

Special Grants (now Matching Grants) and Group Study Exchange programs begin.

1968-69

Rotaract Program launched.

1979-80

Foundation grant to immunize six million Philippine children against polio sets stage for PolioPlus.

Throughout Rotary's history, several basic principles have been developed to guide Rotarians in achieving the ideal of service and high ethical standards.

OBJECT OF ROTARY First formulated in 1910 and adapted throughout the years as Rotary's mission expanded, the Object of Rotary provides a succinct definition of the organizations purpose as well as the individual club member's responsibilities.

The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:

CLASSIFICATION PRINCIPLE This system ensures that each club's membership reflects the business and professional composition of its community. Under this system, each members classification is based on his or her business or profession; the number of members holding that classification is limited according to the size of the club. The result is professional diversity, which enlivens the social atmosphere of the. club and provides a rich resource of occupational expertise to carry out service projects.
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AVENUES OF SERVICE Based on the Object of Rotary, the tour Avenues of Service are Rotary's philosophical cornerstone and the foundation on which club activity is based:

• Club Service focuses on strengthening fellowship and ensuring the effective functioning of the club.
• Vocational Service encourages Rotarians to serve others through their vocations and to practice high ethical standards.
• Community Service covers the projects and activities the club undertakes to improve life in its community.
• International Service encompasses actions taken to expand Rotary's humanitarian reach around the globe and to promote world understanding and peace.
   

1984-85

Rotary launches PolioPlus program and campaign to raise $120 million to immunize all the children of the world.

1986-87

Rotary Village Corps program (now Rotary Community Corps) established.

1987-88

Through the PolioPlus campaign, Rotarians raise $247 million.

1988-89

First women join Rotary. Rotary returns to Hungary and Poland.

THE FOUR-WAY TEST Followed by Rotarians worldwide in their business and professional lives. The Four-Way Test was created by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor in 1932. It has since been translated into more than 100 languages.

Of the things we think, say or do

1) Is it the TRUTH?

2) is it FAIR to all concerned?

3) Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?

4) Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
 

RI's programs and service opportunities are designed to help Rotarians meet needs in their own communities and reach out to assist people in need worldwide.

Interact Rotary clubs organize and sponsor this service organization for youth ages 14-18; almost 9,700 clubs in 117 countries.

Rotaract Rotary clubs organize and sponsor this leadership, professional development, and service organization for young adults, ages 18-30; more than 7,600 clubs in 158 countries.

Rotary Community Corps (RCC) Rotary clubs organize and sponsor these groups of non-Rotarians who work to improve their communities; more than 5,500 RCCs in 71 countries.

Rotary Fellowships Recreational, vocational, and health-related groups open to all Rotarians and spouses sharing common interests; approximately 85 fellowships.                                                                  <Previous         Next>

1994-95

Western Hemisphere declared polio-free.

1998-99

Rotary Centers for International Studies in peace and conflict resolution established.

2000-01

Western Pacific region declared polio-free.

2001-02

Europe declared polio-free.

Rotary Friendship Exchange Rotarians and their families make reciprocal visits to other countries, staying in each others homes and learning about the culture firsthand.

Rotary Volunteers While every Rotarian is a volunteer, many also offer their special skills and experience to a project abroad for short periods.
Rotary Youth Exchange Clubs and districts sponsor and host students ages 15-19 who travel abroad for an academic year or an extended holiday; about 7,000 per year.

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) Clubs and districts sponsor seminars to encourage and recognize leadership abilities of youth and young adults ages 14-30.

World Community Service (WCS) Rotary clubs and districts from two different countries form partnerships to implement community service projects; many such projects receive funding from The Rotary Foundation Humanitarian Grants Program.

Menu of Service Opportunities RI recommends that clubs planning service activities consider nine major needs or concerns: Children at Risk, Disabled Persons, Health Care, International Understanding and Goodwill, Literacy and Numeracy, Population Issues, Poverty and Hunger, Preserve Planet Earth, and Urban Concerns.

"The Rotary pin on your lapel is a passport to new friendships and opportunities."  - Edilberto Uichanco, Philippines

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TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR ROTARY MEMBERSHIP

PROMOTING INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING
AND PEACE

When it comes to working for peace, Rotarians approach the issue from many angles. The most visible effort is the establishment of the Rotary Centers for International Study in peace and conflict resolution, where dozens of scholars are learning how to prevent and resolve conflict in the world. Through the Foundation's Ambassadorial Scholarships and Group Study Exchange programs. Rotary is enhancing international understanding at a grassroots, person-to-person level.

Rotary clubs are reaching out to refugees and other victims of war and restoring stability to their lives. One such ambitious project is under-way in Afghanistan, where U.S. and Pakistani Rotarians have established a $250,000 school project to serve more than 2,000 students - 50 percent of them girls - in the eastern part of the country. The U.S. Rotarians also equipped a computer center and provided dictionaries to Nangarhar University, one of the largest universities in Afghanistan, which previously had no computers or dictionaries for classroom use.
 

2002-03

Rotarians raise $119 million to complete the global eradication of polio by 2005.

2003-2004

Clubs launch Centennial Community Projects and for centennial twin club partnerships. The Rotary Centennial history book is published.

The Rotary Foundation of RI is a not-for-profit corporation whose mission is to support the efforts of Rotary International in the Object of Rotary, Rotary's mission, and the achievement of world understanding and peace through local, national, and international humanitarian, educational, and cultural programs.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT In 2002-03, The Rotary Foundation received contributions totaling $133 million and spent more than $94 million in. support of humanitarian and educational programs implemented by clubs and districts. Contributions from Rotarians go into one of two funds:

• Annual Programs Fund, which provides grants and awards through
  Foundation programs

• Permanent Fund, an endowment from which only the earnings are spent in support of Foundation programs, ensuring the long-term viability of the Foundation

Every dollar contributed by Rotarians funds the humanitarian and educational programs and program operations. Clubs and districts apply for and receive Foundation grants to carry out many worthy projects worldwide. In an effort to maintain sufficient funding for these vital programs, the Foundation launched the Every Rotarian, Ever)' Year initiative, designed to increase annual giving to $100 per capita during the Rotary Centennial year of 2004-05 and beyond.

HUMANITARIAN GRANTS PROGRAM Humanitarian grants enable Rotarians to increase their support of international service projects that provide water wells, medical care, literacy classes, and other essentials to people in need. Rotarian participation is key to the success of these projects.

• District Simplified Grants enable districts to use a portion of their
  District Designated Fund (DDF) to support service activities or humanitarian endeavors that benefit local or international communities.

POLIOPLUS The PolioPlus program provides funding for vaccine and transportation for mass immunization campaigns as well as support for social mobilization, surveillance, and laboratories to help carry out the final stages of global polio eradication. Having raised funds that will provide more than $600 million in support, Rotary International is a major partner with the World Health Organization, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the initiative to eradicate polio worldwide by 2005, Rotary's centennial.
                  
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• Individual Grants support the travel of Rotarians, Rotarian spouses, Rotaractors, and qualified Foundation alumni who are planning or implementing humanitarian service projects abroad.

• Matching Grants assist Rotary clubs and districts in carrying out World Community Service projects with clubs in other countries.

• Blane Community Immunization Grants provide U.S. Rotary clubs and districts up to $1,000 in matching funds to improve immunization levels in their communities.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS These programs are designed to promote international understanding by bringing together people from different countries and cultures.

• Ambassadorial Scholarships, the world's largest, privately funded international scholarships program, sends 1,000 students each year to serve as ambassadors of goodwill while studying abroad.

• Rotary World Peace Scholarships are awarded to individuals for study in master's degree programs at the Rotary Centers for International Studies in peace and conflict resolution.

• Group Study Exchange is a cultural and vocational exchange program between districts in different countries for business and professional men and women ages 25-40.

• Rotary Grants for University Teachers are awarded to higher education faculty to teach abroad in an academic field of practical use to people in a low-income country.

"I doubt it would be possible to document the extent
       to which the myriad of programs of the Rotary Foundation have done so much good in the world."    - Otto Austel, USA

TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR ROTARY MEMBERSHIP

ERADICATING
POLIO WORLDWIDE

Rotary's commitment to global polio eradication began in 1979 with a five-year project to immunize six million Philippine children against this devastating disease. In taking up polio eradication as its first corporate project in 1985, Rotary embarked on an ambitious fund-raising campaign that garnered $247 million by 1988. Faced with a funding gap to finish the job of eradication by 2005, Rotary's 100th anniversary, Rotarians raised another $119 million in 2002-03. By the time the world is certified polio-free, Rotary's contributions to the global polio eradication effort will exceed $600 million.

But equally important is the volunteer army of Rotarians who promote National Immunization Days (NIDs), travel by camel and helicopter to bring the vaccine to children in remote areas, and negotiate cease-fires so that NIDs can take place in war-torn countries. Since 1985, more than two billion children have been immunized against polio, and polio cases have declined more than 99 percent.

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"A big reason that I joined Rotary is my children. I want them to have an understanding of selflessness and to learn about the spirit of service"
                                - Gina Brousseau, Canada

Several key meetings bring Rotarians together to share ideas, celebrate successes, enjoy fellowship, and plan for the future.

RI CONVENTION The RI Convention, the largest Rotary meeting, is held in May or June in a different part of the Rotary world each year. This lively, four-day event features speeches by world and Rotary leaders, spectacular entertainment reflecting the local culture, and unparalleled opportunities to experience the true breadth of Rotary's international fellowship.

PRESIDENTIAL CONFERENCES Held in different parts of the world each year to address issues determined by the RI president, these meetings generally focus on the region in which they are held and provide the backdrop for spirited discussion and opportunities to rorm international service partnerships.

DISTRICT CONFERENCES Rotarians are encouraged to attend their district conference, an annual motivational meeting that showcases club and district activities. A family event, the district conference mixes fellowship with learning and allows Rotarians to become more directly involved with charting their district's future.
 

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The genius of Rotary has been its ability to respond to the needs of the day, from child welfare to refugee relief to rural development to polio immunization. This cornucopia of projects is matched by the increasing diversity of Rotary's membership in terms of gender, age, and ethnicity. Originally an all-male U.S. club, Rotary has expanded to include many female business and professional leaders. Two-thirds of today's Rotarians live outside the United States and represent a multitude of cultures. Rotary clubs are also changing their meeting times and places to make membership more convenient and relevant to today's demanding professional and personal schedules and using technology to communicate, promote their activities, and engage in Rotary business. The RI Web site enables members to conduct Rotary business online as well as order publications, register for meetings, and learn about Rotary history, programs, and events. For the latest Rotary information, visit www.rotary.org regularly.

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