What is Rotary

The Four-Way Test

The Object of Rotary

What Rotary Means

Four Avenues of Rotary Service

Membership Responsibilities

What is Rotary -- Motto: SERVICE ABOVE SELF

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. 

In nearly 100 years, Rotary has grown from a small club of four members to a worldwide network of men and women who share a common vision for a better world. The world's first service organization, Rotary has a long history of helping those in need and uniting people of different cultures and beliefs. Through the work of individual Rotary clubs, and through the programs of Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation, Rotary is making the world a better place.

ROTARY is the world's first service club.  The first Rotary Club was founded in Chicago, IL  on 23 Feb 1905 by a lawyer, Paul Harris, and three of his friends.  Weekly meetings were "rotated" among the founders.

ROTARY is in 166 countries worldwide.  Approximately 1.3 million service-minded men and women belong to more than 30,000 Rotary clubs.

ROTARIANS meet weekly for fellowship and interesting programs dealing wit topics of local and global importance.  Membership is by invitation and 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 also the Rotary Foundation that each year provides some $90 million for international scholarships, cultural exchanges, and humanitarian projects -- large and small -- that improve the quality of life for millions of people.

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The 4-Way Test

From the earliest days of the organization, Rotarians were concerned with promoting high ethical standards in their professional lives. One of the world's most widely printed and quoted statements of business ethics is The 4-Way Test, which was created in 1932 by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor (who later served as RI president) when he was asked to take charge of a company that was facing bankruptcy.

This 4-word test for employees to follow in their business and professional lives became the guide for sales, production, advertising, and all relations with dealers and customers, and the survival of the company is credited to this simple philosophy. Adopted by Rotary in 1943, The 4-Way Test has been translated into more than a hundred languages and published in thousands of ways. It asks the following four questions:

            Of the things we think, say or do .....

            Is it the truth?

            Is it fair to all concerned?

            Will it build goodwill and better friendships?

            Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

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The 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:

FIRST -- the development of acquaintances as an opportunity for service;

SECOND -- 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;

THIRD -- The application of the ideal of service n each Rotarian's personal, business, and community life; and

FOURTH -- 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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What Rotary Means

To the COMMUNITY, A Rotary Club

To a MEMBER, A Rotary Club

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Four Avenues of Rotary Service

Providing services to the Rotary Club to enable it to run efficiently in the spirit of friendship.

Putting high standards of good conduct into practice in  Rotarians' business and professional lives.

Identifying needs in the Rotary Club's community and addressing them with service projects.

Working for international understanding and peace by promoting goodwill between all people.

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Membership Responsibilities

Each member of the Club is expected to attend regular weekly meetings and is required to attend  60% of meetings each quarter.  Members can attend or make up meetings at any Rotary Club in the world.

Each member is required to pay annual dues and expected to support Club activities and projects.

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