Rotarians celebrate 100 years of service
Howard Lake | 17 February 2004 | News
Rotarians in Great Britain and Ireland are about to celebrate their centenary of community service and fundraising.
The first Rotary Club was founded by Paul Harris in Chicago, USA on 23 February 1905. Since then, Rotary’s work has expanded worldwide with clubs in 166 countries and a membership of 1.2 million business men and women.
Rotarians around the world will be celebrating their centenary by focusing on three key goals for 2005: eradicating polio, increasing membership from 1.2 million to 1.5 million members, and supporting The Rotary Foundation, “the world’s largest private charity”. To mark the centennial year 2004/2005 Rotary Clubs are being encouraged to initiate Centennial Community Projects to benefit their communities and to demonstrate the remarkable scope and power of Rotary service.
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The most ambitious project is the eradication of polio. Since 1985 two billion children have been immunised and a target set to eradicate polio by 2005. By 2005 Rotary’s contribution to polio eradication will exceed half a billion dollars.
In Great Britain and Ireland, where there are 1,833 Rotary Clubs with 58,000 members, clubs are planning hundreds of Centennial Community Projects such as planting a Rotary Glade of Maples at the Westonbirt Arboretum; a Rotary Wheel aerial landmark and memorial forest at Oldham; commissioning a Rotary Rose; constructing 2000 metres of a dry stone wall, and funding a £100,000 project for a Diabetes research laboratory in Plymouth. Many clubs will also undertake twin club projects with clubs in the developing world.
In addition, in March 2005 every Rotarian is asked to give 10 hours of voluntary service in their community.
Rotary is an organisation of business and professional men and women who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards, and help to build goodwill and peace in the world.
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.