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This
page last updated on
January 7, 2007
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Rotary
consists of people from all political persuasions and
none; of all religious opinions and none; from most,
if not all, of the countries of the world.We
meet together with a common bond of fellowship and good
will.
Each
local club is made up, in the main, of business and
professional persons, dedicated to service above self
and the promotion of peace throughout the world by association,
education and fellowship. Membership
of Rotary is by invitation, The main characteristics
of a Rotarian are honesty and integrity in their business
and professional life.
High
ideals are the trade mark of Rotary and our members
are privileged to be caretakers of the movement. They
are charged to promote Rotary and to put into Rotary
some of their talents.We
wear a little cogwheel badge, the logo of Rotary international,
it's 24 cogs signifies that the wearer is a member of
Rotary 24 hours a day. Each
member is a cog in the Rotary wheel.
Each
club is a collection of cogs, each meshing with the
other. Each
district is a drive shaft that holds the clubs together
as a part of the Rotary machine.When
that machine is fully serviced and working to its full
potential it is a powerful engine for change in the
world.
The Vision,
By
the extension of Rotary, we can encourage people of
good will, in all spheres of life, in all the countries
of the world, to help improve the conditions of the
poor. educate children to avoid drugs, improve the health
of the sick and help eradicate diseases such as Polio.We
can and do help the blind recover their sight and bring
clean drinking water to those in need.
Rotary's
action and education program may one day help to influence
the governments of the world to stop making war and
make plans for peace and the protection of our environment.
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| The
objects of Rotary.
1.
The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service.
2. To maintain high ethical standards in business and the
professions, the recognition of the worthiness of all useful
occupations, and the dignifying by each Rotarian of his
occupation as an opportunity to serve society.
3. The application of the ideal of service by every Rotarian
to his personal, business and community life.
4. The advancement of international understanding, goodwill
and peace through a wide fellowship of business and professional
people united in the ideals of "Service Above Self".
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| Wall
Street Journal April 2005.
Phyl
Polio and Rotary April 12, 2005 Today marks the 50th anniversary
of the Salk polio vaccine. Poliomyelitis, also known as
infantile paralysis, used to be one of childhood's most
feared diseases. A few years after Dr. Jonas Salk announced
his vaccine on April 12, 1955, nearly every child in the
U.S. was protected.
Today
polio has disappeared from the Americas, Europe and the
Western Pacificand is nearly gone from the rest of the world.
A too little known part of this feat is the role played
by Rotary, the international businessman's club, which 20
years ago adopted the goal of wiping out the disease. Rotary
understood that medical breakthroughs are worthless unless
people aren't afraid to immunize their children and efficient
delivery systems exist to get the vaccine to them. And so
it mobilized its members in 30,100 clubs in 166 countries
to make it happen.
In
1985, when Rotary launched its eradication program, there
were an estimated 350,000 new cases of polio in 125 countries.
Last year, 1,263 cases were reported. More than one million
Rotary members have volunteered their time or donated money
to immunize two billion children in 122 countries.
In 1988, Rotary money and its example were the catalyst
for a global eradication drive joined by the World Health
Organization, UNICEF and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
In
2000 Rotary teamed up with the United Nations Foundation
to raise $100 million in private money for the program.
By the time the world is certified as polio-free -- probably
in 2008 -- Rotary will have contributed $600 million to
its eradication effort.
An economist of our acquaintance calls Rotary's effort the
most successful private health-care initiative ever.
A vaccine-company CEO recently volunteered to us that the
work of Rotary and the Gates Foundation, both private groups,
has been more effective than any government in promoting
vaccines to save lives.
It's become fashionable in some quarters to deride civic
volunteerism,
but Rotary's unsung polio effort deserves the Nobel Peace
Prize.! |
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