The first club formed in Chicago in 1905 by the four rotarians shown in the photo here. They are, from the left: Gustavus Loehr, Silvester Schiele, Hiram Shorey, Paul Harris.

Rotary International was formed in 1922. By this time there were many clubs on 6 continents. The RI website is at http://www.rotary.org.

Serving Through Membership

Rotary is service driven. Belonging to a Rotary club gives men and woman an organized outlet for contributing to their community.

Founded in 1905, Rotary is the world's first service organization.

The rotary 2008-2009 motto is “Making Dreams Real”- Rotary concerns itself with truth, fairness, improved relations between people and world peace. The avenues of Rotary service include community and international volunteerism through club activity and the promotion of ethics in all vocations.

Rotary has a global network of 1.2 million members in more than 2,000 clubs in 160 countries.

Rotary members meet weekly to plan service activities. Rotary clubs are autonomous and determine their own service projects based on local needs and the interests and abilities of members.

Rotary clubs are nonreligious, nongovernmental and open to every race, culture and creed. Club membership represents a cross section of local business and professional leaders.

Object of Rotary

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:

The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service.

High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying of each Rotarian's occupation as an opportunity to serve society.

The application of the ideal service in each Rotarian's personal, business, and community life.

The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.

Avenues of Service

Based on the Object or Rotary, the four 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.

Menu of Service Opportunites

The service activities of Rotary Clubs are generally based on one or more of the nine following 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
• Urban Concerns.

The Four Way Test

The Four-Way Test is followed by Rotarians worldwide in their business and professional lives. This Test was created by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor in 1932. It has since been translated into more than 100 languages and is used by organizations and individuals throughout the world.

The four way test of the things we think, say or do:

• Is it the TRUTH ?
• Is it FAIR to all concerned ?
• Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIP ?
• Will it be BENIFICIAL to all concerned ?