Rotary was started in Chicago in 1905 by Paul Harris, a young lawyer, who wanted to form “a fellowship composed of just one man from each of many different occupations, without restrictions as to their politics or religion, with broad tolerance of each other’s opinions.” Meetings were rotated between the offices of the initial members, which gave rise to the names of “Rotary” and “Rotarian.” Rotary is the oldest and one of the largest service clubs in the world.


Rotary is now officially defined as “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.”

  • Cosmos Segbefia, affiliated with the Rotary Club of Sekondi-Takoradi, and Derrick Ababio Kwarteng, behavior change communication officer with Global Communities, assist the community during the construction of a borehole at Nkwantanan in the Amenfi Central District, Western Region of Ghana. Rotarians from 35 clubs across the country, in partnership with USAID and the national and local agencies of the government of Ghana, and with the support of Rotary District 6380 (Michigan, USA, and Ontario, Canada), are working with local communities to improve sustainable access to clean water and sanitation services, foster the adoption of hygiene behavior, strengthen community management systems, and influence decision makers for prioritized financing of local water and sanitation services.
  • Members of Korean Rotary and Rotaract clubs participate in a 24-hour hunger experience project in Cheon-An, Korea. In addition to fasting, participants packaged grain for distribution to people in need and planted trees to aid in environmental conservation and improve health. 30 March 2019.
  • Day one of the Subnational Immunization Days in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India, a weeklong campaign to vaccinate children against polio. Rotarians, Rotaractors, health workers, and other volunteers set up and operate more than 1,500 immunization booths in the area. 23 June 2019.
  • Rotaractors Samuel Gonzalez Garcia (left) and Patricia Salinas Jasso, from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, work on a pilot project that helps farmers grow the cochineal insects, which are used to make dye, on cactuses outside General Zaragoza, Mexico.
  • Photo shoot for People of Action campaign, Brazil. November 2016.

THE MOTTO AND OBJECTIVE OF ROTARY

The motto of Rotary International is “Service above Self.” Rotary encourages and fosters the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular:

  • 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 by Rotarians of their respective occupations as an opportunity to serve society
  • The application of the ideal of service by every Rotarian to one’s personal, business, and community life, and
  • The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.

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Tyler Boden

President

Robert Burns

Membership Chair
President-Elect

Kate Wilhelm

President-Nominee

Gary Stevens

Secretary

John Cox

Treasurer

Bill Ewing

Club Foundation President

Oakley Van Slyke

Rotary Foundation Chair

Jeremy Dugan

Past President

Noah Burns

Youth Service Chair

Bryce Shank

Vocational Service Chair

Bettie Johnson

Club Service Chair

Joseph K. Anderson Jr.

Sergeant-at-Arms

Paul H. Henry

Club Programs Chair

Larry Burbridge

Member-at-Large