A Quick History of Rotary

Rotary International (R. I.) was founded in 1905 by Paul Harris, in Chicago, Illinois. It has grown to include approximately 32,000-plus clubs with a membership of well over 1,200,000 Rotarians in over 200 countries.

Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.

In 166 countries worldwide, approximately 1.2 million Rotarians belong to more than 31,000 Rotary clubs. Rotary club membership represents a cross-section of the community's business and professional men and women. The world's Rotary clubs meet weekly and are non-political, non-religious, and open to all cultures, races, and creeds.

The main objective of Rotary is service - in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world. Rotarians develop community service projects that address many of today's most critical issues, such as children at risk, poverty and hunger, the environment, illiteracy, and violence. They also support programs for youth, educational opportunities and international exchanges for students, teachers, and other professionals, and vocational and career development. The Rotary motto is Service Above Self.

Rotary also stands for superior ethics and dealings with all people - in business and in life. This is reflected in the Declaration of Rotarians in Business and Professions and in the Rotary 4-Way Test.

The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International is a not-for-profit corporation that promotes world understanding through international humanitarian service programs and educational and cultural exchanges. It is supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and others who share its vision of a better world. Since 1947, the Foundation has awarded more than US$1.1 billion in humanitarian and educational grants, which are initiated and administered by local Rotary clubs and districts.