What is Rotary
Rotary International is the world's first service club organisation currently comprising more than 1.2 million business, professional, and community leaders. Members of Rotary clubs, known as Rotarians, volunteer their time and talent to further the Rotary motto, Service Above Self.
There are over 32,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Clubs are nonpolitical, nonreligious, and open to all cultures, races, and creeds. Rotary’s main objective is service — in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world. By combining their skills and resources, members of Rotary are able to make a real contribution to the lives of others.
Clubs usually meet weekly for breakfast, lunch or dinner in a friendly, social atmosphere and meetings often include a talk on a subject of general interest by an outside speaker.
Membership of Rotary provides individuals with the means to help those in need. There are countless opportunities to make a difference to those less fortunate than ourselves whilst providing friendship, both locally and worldwide, fun and entertainment and personal and business growth and development.
It is said that every minute of every day Rotary will touch the lives of millions somewhere in the world.
This article briefly describes:
The History of Rotary
The Object of Rotary
The Four Way Test
Who are Rotarians
Avenues of Service
The Rotary Foundation
Rotaract and Interact
Inner Wheel
Further information can be found at Rotary International, Rotary International in Britain and Ireland, Rotary District 1160 (Ireland) and The Rotary Foundation.
The History of Rotary
On February 23 in 1905, Chicago lawyer Paul P Harris called three friends to a meeting, his vision being to form a club that would encourage fellowship amongst members of the business community, an idea originating from his desire to find the kind of friendly spirit he had known in the villages where he had grown up. Word of the small club soon spread and other businessmen were invited to join and the name "Rotary" was derived from the early practice of rotating meetings amongst members' offices.
Soon after the club name was agreed, one of the new members suggested a wagon wheel design for the club emblem. It was the precursor of the familiar cogwheel emblem now worn by Rotarians around the world. By the end of 1905, the club had 30 members.
The second Rotary club was formed in 1908 half a continent away from Chicago in San Francisco, California. The third club was formed in Oakland, California; others followed in Seattle, Washington, Los Angeles and New York City. Rotary became international in 1910 when a club was formed in Winnipeg, Canada. By 1921 the organisation was represented on every continent, and in 1922 the name Rotary International was adopted.
Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland (RIBI) was formed in 1914 and now represents 1840 clubs in 29 districts.
The 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 of 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.
The Four Way Test
Rotarians seek to apply the "Four-Way Test" to their thoughts, communications and deeds - one of the most widely printed and quoted statements of business ethics in the world.
The test was developed by Rotarian and entrepreneur Herbert J. Taylor in 1932 when he was asked to take charge of a company that was facing bankruptcy. Taylor looked for a way to save the struggling company mired in depression-caused financial difficulties. He drew up a 24-word code of ethics for all employees to follow in their business and professional lives. The Four-Way Test became the guide for sales, production, advertising and all relations with dealers and customers, and the survival of the company is credited to this simple philosophy. Herb Taylor became president of Rotary International in 1954-55. The Four-Way Test was adopted by Rotary in 1943 and it is still seen as a standard for ethics in business management.
The test, which has been translated into more than 100 languages and published in thousands of ways, asks the following questions:
Of the things we think, say or do:
Is it the TRUTH?
Is it FAIR to all concerned?
Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
Who are Rotarians
Rotarians are active, enthusiastic men and women of all ages who are business people, professionals or community leaders. They all share a common interest in friendship and humanity.
Ask Rotarians what they get out of Rotary, and each will give a different answer. Some enjoy the social aspect, others appreciate business networking opportunities and all love the chance to give something back to the community. But one thing remains constant, every Rotarian has fun.
Avenues of Service
Rotary’s commitment to Service Above Self has been channeled through the four Avenues of Service, which form the foundation of club activity.
Club Service: focuses on strengthening fellowship and ensuring the effective functioning of Rotary Clubs.
Vocational Service: involves club members serving others through their professions and aspiring to high ethical standards. Rotarians, as business leaders, share skills and expertise through their vocations, and they inspire others in the process.
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 world and to promote world understanding and peace. It includes everything from contributing to PolioPlus to helping Rotary Youth Exchange students adjust to their host countries.
The Rotary Foundation
The Rotary Foundation is the charity of the Rotary movement. It is dedicated to furthering international understanding, goodwill and peace. The Foundation administers many programmes to aid the needy and deserving.
The most ambitious programme to date has been PolioPlus, a campaign to help the World Health Organisation immunise the world's children against polio, measles, diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus. The programme began in 1985, and since then more than 2 billion children have received oral polio vaccine. At the end of 2007 the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation awarded The Rotary Foundation a challenge grant of $100 million, which Rotary will match, dollar for dollar, over three years. This is the largest single grant ever given to a volunteer service organization and represents a tremendous validation of the approach and success of the PolioPlus program. It comes at a critical juncture for the polio eradication initiative, which needs an infusion of funds to reach the eradication goal. For this reason, the initial $100 million will be distributed by The Rotary Foundation through grants to the World Health Organization and UNICEF in direct support of polio immunization activities in 2008.
Another major programme is 3-H Grants. 3-H stands for Health, Hunger and Humanity, and this programme funds large-scale, one- to three-year projects which enhance health, help alleviate hunger, or improve human development.
Rotaract and Interact
There are two organisations specifically for young people, dedicated to service and international understanding.
Rotaract, which is made up from the words Rotary and Action, has a membership of over 150,000 
in 146 countries. It is a club for men and women aged 19-30 years who participate in a programme of social, charitable and fund-raising events enabling them to meet people, try new activities, and make a difference in their local community.
Interact is a similar type of organisation, but is for young people between the ages of 14 and 18; it has a membership of 170,000 in 106 countries.
Though closely associated with Rotary, the clubs are independent and self-governing.
Inner Wheel
The sister organisation Inner Wheel was formed in 1924 and is most probably the largest women's Voluntary Service Organisation in the world. Holding Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) status with the United Nations it has representatives in its three centres of Geneva, New York and Vienna.
Members are female relatives of Rotarians. Currently there are more than 100,000 members in over 101 countries and geographical locations who enjoy working together, making new friends and having fun while helping the vulnerable, young people and the elderly - both at home and in the developing countries. Help is given in many ways from general long term support to providing goods, funds and practical ‘hands on’ help in emergencies and disaster areas.
To join us contact our Honorary Secretary