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WHAT IS A ROTARIAN?
A Rotarian is a person …
… who digs wells from which they will never drink;
… who vaccinates children they will never meet;
… who restores eyesight for those they will never see;
… who builds houses they will never live in;
… who educates children they will never know;
… who plants trees they they will never sit under;
… who feeds hungry people, regardless of colour, race or politics; and
… who knows real happiness.
As Albert Schweitzer said
“Real happiness can only be found by serving
others.”
Service Above Self
Rotary is a world-wide fellowship of business and professional adults
who accept the ideal of service as a basis for success and happiness in
business and community life.
Rotary was established on 23rd February 1905 in Chicago when Paul
Harris, a lawyer, met with three friends, Silvester Schiele, coal dealer,
Gustavus E. Loehr, mining engineer, and Hiram Shorey, merchant tailor,
to discuss the idea of starting a men’s club in order to enlarge their
circle of friends and business acquaintances.
Paul Harris was the first President of Rotary International in 1922.
WHAT ROTARY DOES
The main objective of Rotary is service in the community, in the
workplace and throughout the world. Rotary International has developed a
broad range of programs designed to assist clubs to carry out this
mission. Some of these programs have been in operation for many years,
while others have been developed more recently to meet emerging needs.
Rotary’s Community Development Programs address many of today’s most
critical issues, such as hunger, the environment and literacy. Rotary
International also offers programs that focus primarily on young people,
including service clubs for young adults (Rotaract), leadership training
workshops (Rotary Youth Leadership Award and Rotary Youth Program of
Enrichment), and the very successful overseas student exchanges for
twelve months (Youth Exchange).
The International component of Rotary programs enables clubs to assist
Rotary’s efforts abroad and to share information and arrange exchanges
with Rotarians in other countries. Vocational concerns figure in many
club projects, designed to promote high ethical standards in the
workplace and to help young people and others become and remain
productive members of society.
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:
First: The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;
Second: High ethical standards in business and professions; the
recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the
dignifying by each Rotarian of his occupation as an opportunity to serve
society;
Third: The application of the ideal of service by every Rotarian to his
personal, business and community life;
Fourth: The advancement of international understanding, goodwill and
peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons
united in the ideal of service.
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