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What Is Rotary?............Who Can Join?Rotary International is over 1,200,000 community-minded men and women around the globe in around 30,000 clubs in over 160 countries who meet regularly to contribute their time towards providing humanitarian service, encouraging high ethical standards in all vocations, and helping to build goodwill and peace in the world.
Rotarians do this by hands-on sleeves-rolled-up work in the local community, by international projects such as Polio-Plus and Youth Exchange, and by fostering high ethics through school and vocational award and reward programs.
The main objective of Rotary is service — service in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world. Rotarians develop community service projects that address many of today's most critical issues, such as children at risk, poverty and hunger, the environment, illiteracy, and violence. They also support programs for youth, educational opportunities and international exchanges for students, teachers, and other professionals, and vocational and career development. The Rotary motto is Service Above Self.
The idea of a vocation-based club was thought up in 1905 by Paul Harris, a lawyer who had moved from a small town to the city of Chicago. He formed a friendship with 3 others from different vocations and they met regularly at a different home each week (hence the name 'Rotary"). As time went on, they donated a horse to a local preacher so he could continue his rounds and were soon being asked to assist in various community projects. Paul Harris saw the opportunity to formalise and extend the association, and the second Rotary Club was formed in San Francisco in 1908. By 1921 Rotary had spread to six continents and was firmly established.
Who Can Join? While membership to Rotary is by the invitation of the club concerned, interested members of the community are invited to contact their local club and visit a weekly meeting. (We can't invite you to join if we don't know you!) Rotary club membership represents a cross-section of the community's business and professional men and women. The world's Rotary clubs are nonpolitical, nonreligious, and open to all cultures, races, and creeds. Interested members of the community can usually find a contact number for their local Rotary club from local Council or newspaper. Otherwise, just contact ANY Rotary Club and they will help put you in contact with your nearest club. Visitors are most welcome at meetings. Let the members know you are interested, and they will advise you.
You can email Wetherill Park Rotary Club here.
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