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Bill Pitts, President
Cindy Holmes , |
WELCOME! Rotary is a worldwide organization of business and professional
leaders that provides comprehensive humanitarian service, encourages
high ethical vocational standards, and helps build peace and goodwill
throughout the world. Approximately 1.2 million Rotarians belong
to over 31,000 Rotary clubs located in 166 countries. Rotary club membership represents a cross-section of the community's
professional men and women. The world's Rotary clubs meet weekly
and are nonpolitical, nonreligious, and open to all cultures, races,
and creeds. The main objective of Rotary is 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 at-risk children, poverty,
hunger, the environment, illiteracy, and violence. Rotary members also support vast programs for youth, educational
advancement and international exchanges for students, teachers,
and other professionals, as well as, vocational and career development.
The Rotary motto is, "Service Above Self." Although Rotary clubs develop autonomous service programs, all
Rotarians worldwide are united in a campaign for the global eradication
of polio. In the 1980's, Rotarians raised the equivalent of $240
million dollars to immunize the world's children. Rotary's 2005
centenary year was set as the target date for the certification
of a polio-free world, and the PolioPlus program has already contributed
$500 million to the cause. Rotary has provided an army of volunteers to promote and assist
at national immunization days in polio-endemic countries around
the world. The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International is a not-for-profit
corporation that promotes world understanding through international
humanitarian service programs and educational and cultural exchanges.
Rotary is supported solely by voluntary
contributions from Rotarians and others who share its vision of
a better world. Since 1947, the Foundation has awarded more than $1.1 billion dollars in humanitarian and educational grants which are initiated and administered by local Rotary clubs and districts.
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