What is Rotary?
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.
Rotary is the world's first service club. It was founded in Chicago, Illinois, USA on 23 February 1905.
Rotary is some 1.2 million service-minded men and women belonging to more than 28,000 Rotary clubs in virtually every nation in the world.
Rotarians meet weekly for fellowship and interesting and informative programs dealing with topics of local and global importance. Membership reflects a wide cross-section of community representation.
Rotarians plan and carry out a remarkable variety of humanitarian,
educational, and cultural exchange programs that touch people's lives in their local communities and our world community.
Rotary is The Rotary Foundation, which each year provides some US $90 million for International scholarships, cultural exchanges, humanitarian projects large and small that improve the quality of life for millions of people. Rotary is widely regarded as the world's largest private provider of international educational scholarships.
Rotary is Polio Plus. Started in 1985, Rotary's commitment to work with national and international health organizations on the goal of polio eradication by the year 2005, Rotary's 100th anniversary. More than one billion children in developing nations have been immunized against polio through Polio Plus grants.
Due mostly to conflicts, Polio as of 2008 remains endemic in only four countries: (PAIN) Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and Nigeria. The Gates Foundation has given Rotary a $100 Million Dollar matching grant to finish the job. Of the three types of Polio only two remain to be beaten. To date Rotary has spent $200 Million of its funds and countless volunteer hours in this effort. The World Health Organization, the Center for Disease Control and UNESCO are all partners in this effort. Additional support has come from many countries. Today there is a 99% reduction in polio cases world wide. Vaccinations have been distributed in 122 countries. Happily it appears we are almost there though the last will be toughest. Rotary has a demonstrated 23 year committment to Polio Eradication. It will continue till the job is done and the world certified Polio Free!
Rotary is
Service above self
Gayle Spurr
