“Whatever Rotary may mean to us, to the world it will be known by the results it achieves.” --Paul P. Harris Our 1.2 million-member organization started with the vision of one man—Paul P. Harris. The Chicago attorney formed one of the world’s first service organizations, the Rotary Club of Chicago, on 23 February 1905 as a place where professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships. Rotary’s name came from the group’s early practice of rotating meetings among the offices of each member. The next four Rotary Clubs were organized in the western United States. in 1912 more clubs we created in Winnipeg, Canada, London England, and Dublin, Ireland. To reflect the addition of a club outside of the United States, the name was changed to the International Association of Rotary Clubs in 1912. In 1985, Rotary launched its PolioPlus program to immunize all of the world's children against polio. As of 2011, Rotary has contributed more than 900 million US dollars to the cause, resulting in the immunization of nearly two billion children worldwide. Now there are 34,282 clubs among 200 countries and geographical areas. Our local Club began in 1983 and now has been serving our community for more than 30 years. A legacy for our community to be proud of; a legacy to continue. |