What
is Rotary?
Rotary works to improve the quality of life
for all people
Rotary is short for
Rotary International - a world wide association of local clubs for men and
women in business or the professions who
·
provide
humanitarian service to the community at local, national and international
level
·
encourage high
ethical standards in all vocations
·
work for
goodwill and peace in the world
Rotary was founded
in 1905 and now has over 1.2 million members in more than 28,000 clubs in 155
countries and 35 geographical regions. There are 1,800 clubs in Great Britain
and Ireland with over 61,000 members.
The Rotary Club and Membership
Each club operates
independently within a common constitution. Membership, drawn from the business
and professional community, is by invitation. To ensure the club represents the
community there are limitations on membership from each profession or type of
business.
Meetings
|
Meetings
are held weekly and Rotarians must attend at least 60 per cent to remain as
members. Clubs meet for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Business often includes a
talk on a subject of general interest by an outside speaker. |
Every Rotarian has
the right to attend the meeting of any other club and Rotarians may invite
non-Rotarian guests to their own club meetings. Weekly meetings promote
acquaintance and fellowship. Through this fellowship Rotarians find the
inspiration to serve the community.
Service to the
community requires Rotarians to devote their time, energy and professional
skills to particular projects. Although funds are often raised for charity this
is not a Rotary club's first aim. The emphasis is on personal service.
Service in your local community
Community service
is the traditional and well-known face of Rotary. It covers help and advice to
the aged, the handicapped, the infirm, young people and all those in need,
either directly or through local charitable organisations. Environmental
projects are part of community service.
As jobs are key
elements in determining Rotary membership, vocational service draws on the
ethical standards, experience and expertise that Rotarians apply in their work.
Vocational projects
support training and job development, provide mock interviews, encourage the
development of skills in employment and foster the highest standards in
business and the professions.
International Service
International service promotes world wide goodwill. It includes emergency boxes, eye camps, vocational training schools, text books, tools, water filtration units and many other items for areas of need. Rotarians of different race, creed and custom, when brought together in fellowship, play an important part in breaking down prejudice and developing true international understanding. Many Rotarians volunteer their free time to projects in third world countries to bridge the gap of world understanding.
The Rotary Foundation
The Rotary
Foundation, Rotary's corporate charity, is dedicated to furthering
international understanding, goodwill and peace. The Foundation administers
many programmes to aid the needy and deserving. One of these programmes is the
3-H fund which seeks to alleviate problems of the disadvantaged throughout the
world under the headings of Health, Hunger and Humanity. The projects supported
under this programme are usually beyond the capability of a single club or
group of clubs to support.
The Foundation's
most ambitious project so far has been PolioPlus, a campaign to help the World
Health Organisation and UNICEF immunizes the world's children against polio,
measles, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus and tuberculosis. PolioPlus raised
over $400 million of which Rotary clubs in Great Britain and Ireland
contributed £8 million.
The fund also provides grants, educational scholarships and opportunities for
young people, but not Rotarians or their close relatives, to visit and study in
other countries.
Rotaract and Interact
Rotary
International has created for young people two organizations dedicated to
service and international understanding. Though closely associated with Rotary,
their clubs are independent and self-governing.
Interact, a combination of
the words international and action, is for young people between 14 and 18.
Rotaract is for men and women between 18 and 30.
These clubs serve
the community. Through fellowship they run a range of local, national and
international service projects with the energy and enthusiasm of youth.
Rotary International and RIBI
Rotary
International in Great Britain and Ireland (RIBI), with its own governing body
and constitution, is a territorial unit of Rotary International, the
association of Rotary clubs world wide. It administers 29 Rotary districts in
England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The
Rotary ideal of fellowship and international understanding is exemplified by
the fact that a single Rotary district covers the whole of Ireland. This
district, with its single organisation is a working model of the Rotary spirit
in action.
Rotary, the magazine of Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland, is one of several regional journals published around the world in various languages. It carries articles and news about Rotary, written by Rotarians for Rotarians. A copy is sent to each of the 61,000 Rotarians in Great Britain and Ireland and to many overseas subscribers. It is available from RIBI, Kinwarton Road, Alcester, Warwickshire, B49 6BP.
Rotary is the
oldest magazine serving the association after The Rotarian, the magazine of
Rotary International, having been published continually since 1915.
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.
Why should you become a Rotarian?
· Do you want to make an active contribution to your local community?
· Do you agree that helping others is more important than your own self-interest?
· Do you enjoy informal networking with like-minded business and professional people?
· Do you want to help those less fortunate than yourself at home and abroad?
· If so, the world's leading service organization: Rotary International has a welcome for you. Rotarians are united in providing humanitarian service, encouraging high ethical standards at work and helping to build goodwill for world peace.
· This means that each individual Rotary club is active at international, national and local levels. But Rotary clubs are best known for work in their home community through support for the needy of all ages including those who are handicapped or infirm.
· Help is given directly and also through many charities and Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland is one of the largest charity fundraisers. That is only one aspect of Rotarians' work
Your experience and
expertise will be valued by your local Rotary club and, when you become an
active Rotarian, you will appreciate what ‘service above self’ can mean.
Copies of the above
are available from Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland, Kinwarton
Road, Alcester, Warwickshire B49 6BP Tel: 01789 765411; Fax: 01789 765570. E-mail: secretary@ribi.org