Rotary International
Rotary is a worldwide organization of more than 1.2 million business, professional, and community leaders. Members of Rotary clubs, known as Rotarians, provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.
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. As signified by the motto Service Above Self, Rotary’s main objective is service in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world.
Rotary International Website (Click to go to thewebsite )
What is Rotary?
Rotary is a worldwide service organisation of business and professional people. It is non-secretarian and non-political and is growing in numbers. There are currently over 1,210,000 members in 32,738 clubs in 207 countries. Each club shares the common principals of Rotary but each is autonomous and free to prepare its own programs and control its destiny.
Rotary started in 1905 when a small group of businessmen in Chicago began meeting to learn from one another and to enhance their business relationships. While making business contacts is still a useful facet of Rotary, the focus quickly moved to include doing good deeds in the community and helping those less fortunate.
Rotarians throughout the world encourage high ethical standards in their vocation, conduct humanitarian projects and work towards world peace and understanding.
Rotary’s International Projects include:
Polio Plus which is a Rotary program to completely eradicate this disease from the world. To date, Rotarians have raised over $270m and the objective of having the world free of Polio is almost complete.
Rotary Youth Exchange which is a two-way program giving young people an opportunity to spend a year living with families in another country. The Entrance Club has hosted many students from various parts of the world, such as Japan, Argentina, Canada, Holland, Norway and South Africa.
Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarships which subsidise costs to allow suitably qualified people to further their studies overseas.
Group Study Exchange which involves a team of professional and business people from diverse walks of life visiting a Rotary District in another country to further and share knowledge and understanding for the mutual benefit of both nations.
How Do You Become a Rotarian?
Membership is by invitation. A current Rotarian will need to act as your sponsor. Members usually own a business or hold a position of responsibility within a business or profession. We have both men and women members in our club.
What are Membership Obligations?
Attendance:
Regular attendance is required, although Rotarians may attend the meeting of any Rotary club if they are away from home or unable to attend their own club meeting. The members of The Rotary Club of The Entrance meet each Tuesday evening.
Financial:
Members are required to pay a joining fee of $25 and an annual subscription. Fees vary from club to club but in the Rotary Club of The Entrance our subscription is presently $100 per half year. Members also pay the cost of their meal each week and there are occasionally, “fun” fines to pay. There are a few contributions which are voluntary only.
Participation:
The Rotary Club of The Entrance expects all members to contribute time and effort to the various projects the club undertakes, although no member is expected to take part in everything. We all participate within our own levels of interest and ability.
Matching Grant and Joint Projects:
What is a Matching Grant?
Matching Grants support international humanitarian service projects. Rotary clubs or districts from two countries work collaboratively to implement a project.
Who can apply?
Rotary clubs and districts from two countries may apply. The clubs or districts must be in good standing with Rotary International. This includes payment of dues and being current on reporting for previous grants.
What are the requirements of a Matching Grant?
Matching Grants must involve a Rotary club or district in the project country (host) and a Rotary club or district in another country (international) implementing a humanitarian project.
Partners are expected to:
Maintain communication for the life of the project
Establish a committee of at least three Rotarians to oversee the project
Treat grant funds as a sacred trust
Maintain clear and accurate accounting
All projects must have active Rotarian participation and oversight. Active participation can include:
Managing project funds
Visiting the project site on an as-needed basis
The international and host partners sharing information via correspondence
The partners sharing expertise
Purchasing, shipping, or distributing items purchased
Publicizing the project to local media and the district
The Rotary Foundation
The mission of The Rotary Foundation is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty.
The Rotary Foundation helps fund our humanitarian activities, from local service projects to global initiatives. Your club or district can apply for grants from the Foundation to invest in projects and provide scholarships. The Foundation also leads the charge on worldwide Rotary campaigns such as eradicating polio and promoting peace. Rotarians and friends of Rotary support the Foundation’s work through voluntary contributions.
Rotary’s Wheel Emblem
A wheel has been the symbol of Rotary since our earliest days. The first design was made by Chicago Rotarian Montague Bear, an engraver who drew a simple wagon wheel, with a few lines to show dust and motion.
The wheel was said to illustrate “Civilization and Movement”. Most of the early clubs had some form of wagon wheel on their publications and letterheads. Finally, in 1922, it was decided that all Rotary clubs should adopt a single design as the exclusive emblem of Rotarians. Thus, in 1923, the present gear wheel, with 24 cogs and six spokes was adopted by the “Rotary International Association”. A group of engineers advised that the geared wheel was mechanically unsound and would not work without a “keyway” in the center of the gear to attach it to a power shaft. So, in 1923 the keyway was added and the design which we now know was formally adopted as the official Rotary International emblem.
20 ANSWERS TO THE QUESTION: WHY JOIN ROTARY
- Friendship: In an increasingly complex world, Rotary provides one of the most basic human needs: the need for friendship and fellowship. It is one of two reasons why Rotary began in 1905.
- Business Development: The second original reason for Rotary’s be-ginning is business development. Everyone needs to network. Rotary consists of a cross section of every business community. Its members come from all walks of life. Rotarians help each other and collectively help others.
- Personal Growth and Development: Membership in Rotary continues one’s growth and education in human relations and personal development.
- Leadership Development: Rotary is an organization of leaders and successful people. Serving in Rotary positions is like a college education. Leadership: – learning how to motivate, influence, and lead leaders.
- Citizenship in the Community: Membership in a Rotary Club makes one a better community citizen. The average Rotary Club consists of the most active citizens of any community.
- Continuing Education: Each week at Rotary there is a program de-signed to keep one informed about what is going on in the community, nation, and world. Each meeting provides an opportunity to listen to different speakers and a variety of timely topics.
- Fun: Rotary is fun, a lot of fun. Each meeting is fun. The Club projects are fun. Social activities are fun. The service is fun.
- Public Speaking Skills: Many individuals who joined Rotary were afraid to speak in public. Rotary develops confidence and skill in public communication and the opportunity to practice and perfect these skills.
- Citizenship in the World: Every Rotarian wears a pin that says “Rotary International”. There are few places on the globe that do not have a Rotary Club. Every Rotarian is welcome even encouraged to attend any of the 35,109 Clubs in more than 200 nations and geographical regions. This means instant friends in both one’s own community and in the world community.
- Assistance when Traveling: Because there are Rotary Clubs everywhere, many a Rotarian in need of a doctor, lawyer, hotel, dentist, ad-vice, etc., while traveling has found assistance through Rotary.
- Entertainment: Every Rotary Club and District has parties and activities that provide diversion in one’s business life. Rotary holds conferences, conventions, assemblies, and institutes that provide entertainment in addition to Rotary information, education, and service.
- The Development of Social Skills: Every week and at various events and functions, Rotary develops one’s personality, social skills and people skills. Rotary is for people who like people.
- Family Programs: Rotary provides one of the world’s largest youth ex-change programs; high school and college clubs for future Rotarians; opportunities for spouse involvement; and a host of activities designed to help family members in growth and the development of family values.
- Vocational Skills: Every Rotarian is expected to take part in the growth and development of his or her own profession or vocation; to serve on committees and to teach youth about one’s job or vocation. Rotary helps to make one a better doctor, lawyer, teacher, etc.
- The Development of Ethics: Rotarians practice a 4-Way Test that governs one’s ethical standards. Rotarians are expected to be ethical in business and personal relationships.
- Cultural Awareness: Around the world, practically every religion, country, culture, race, creed, political persuasion, language, color, and ethnic identity is found in Rotary. It is a cross section of the world’s most prominent citizens from every background. Rotarians become aware of their cultures and learn to love and work with people everywhere. They become better citizens of their countries in the process.
- Prestige: Rotary members are prominent people: leaders of business, the professions, art, government, sports, military, religion, and all disciplines. Rotary is the oldest and most prestigious service club in the world. Its ranks include executives, managers, professionals people who make decisions and influence policy.
- Nice People: Rotarians above all are nice people – the nicest people on the face of the earth. They are important people who follow the policy of it is nice to be important but it is important to be nice.
- The Absence of an “Official Creed”: Rotary has no secret handshake, no secret policy, no official creed, no secret meeting or rituals. It is an open society of men and women who simply believe in helping others.
- The Opportunity to Serve: Rotary is a service Club. Its business is mankind. Its product is service. Rotarians provide community service to both local and international communities. This is perhaps the best reason for becoming a Rotarian: the chance to do something for some-body else and to sense the self-fulfillment that comes in the process and return of that satisfaction to one’s own life. It is richly rewarding. “He profits most who serves the best”.