About Rotary

WHAT IS ROTARY?

In 1976, the Rotary International Board of Directors was interested in creating a concise definition of the fundamental aspects of Rotary. They assembled a committee and requested that a one-sentence definition of Rotary be prepared. After numerous drafts, the committee presented this definition, which has been used ever since in various Rotary publications:
"Rotary is an organization of business and professional persons united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help build goodwill and peace in the world."

Rotary's 31,000 clubs in more than 165 countries and regions encourage high ethical standards and carry out humanitarian projects to address such issues as poverty, health, hunger, education, and the environment.

Founded in Chicago in 1905 as the world's first volunteer service organization, Rotary quickly expanded around the globe. Clubs meet weekly for fellowship to discuss local and global topics. Clubs are nonreligious, nongovernmental, and open to every race, culture, and creed.

One of the primary principles of Rotary is to network and to support business conducted between members. As the oldest service club in the world, Rotary club members represent a cross-section of the community's owners, executives, managers, political leaders, and professionals - people who make decisions and influence policy.