What’s Rotary?

Rotary is...

• ROTARY is a service organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who conduct humanitarian projects, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and work toward world understanding and peace.

• ROTARY is more than 1,176,000 service-minded leaders belonging to over 27,000 Rotary Clubs in 154 countries. Membership is by invitation.

• ROTARIANS meet weekly to enjoy each other’s fellowship and discuss ways to serve others.

• ROTARY is compassion for the underprivileged, the ill, and the disabled, many of whom are the beneficiaries of over 30,000 service projects conducted by Rotary Clubs in the world each year.

• ROTARY adds fulfillment each year to the lives of some 10,000 young people of secondary school age as they study in countries other than their own.

• THE ROTARY FOUNDATION contributes approximately US$35 million annually to its various educational and humanitarian programs to promote international understanding.

• ROTARY sponsors INTERACT, more than 54,200 service clubs for young people of secondary school age in more than 83 countries.

• ROTARY sponsors ROTARACT, more than 5,500 clubs for young adults between 18 and 29 in 117 countries.

• ROTARY began in 1905 in Chicago. The international headquarters is in Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A., and there are branch offices in 9 countries on 5 continents.

• ROTARY for the last 10 years has been growing at the extraordinary rate of a new club every 15 hours.

• Polio-Free Countries: 146