'Service Above Self'
In 100 years, Rotary has grown from a small club of four members to a worldwide network of men and women who share a common vision for a better world. Rotary was founded by Paul Harris in Chicago in February 1905. The name 'Rotary' was derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among members' offices. It was some 23 years later that Rotary arrived in Bury with the formation of The Rotary Club of Bury. They then became the mother club to four clubs in the Bury Metro area Radcliffe, Ramsbottom and finally Tottington and Bury West Bury. There is one other club in the Bury area, Prestwich & Whitefield who were spawned by The Rotary Club of Manchester hence today we have five clubs in and around Bury.
Together the five Rotary clubs have contributed substantial sums of money to local and international community projects and in doing so have helped to bring peace and understanding to many of the world's communities. Perhaps their greatest achievement, along with clubs all over the world, is in reaching the point where polio has been almost eradicated from the world. Children even in the poorest countries now walk and run free of this crippling disease thanks to Rotary. What better gift to mankind could there be?
The world's first service organisation, Rotary has a long history of helping those in need and uniting people of different cultures and beliefs. Through the work of individual Rotary clubs, and through the programmes of Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation, Rotary is making the world a better place. Rotary is made up of business and professional people who work to better their community and build understanding and peace in the world. Rotary is a non-political, non-religious humanitarian organization. Today there are approximately 1.2 million Rotary club members of more than 31,000 Rotary clubs in 166 countries
The Rotary Foundation, Rotary's corporate charity, is dedicated to furthering international understanding, goodwill, and peace and gives more than, £30 million every year to educational and humanitarian programmes. It supports international exchanges of students and teachers as well as business and professional people to further international understanding and friendly relations. Since 1947, the Rotary Foundation has awarded more than £1,000 million in humanitarian and educational grants, which are administered at the local level.
In Great Britain and Ireland there are about 59,000 members in more than 1,830 clubs. In the last year more than £20 million was raised by Rotarians in the British Isles for charitable causes. In addition Rotarians' gave more than 14 million man hours of service, in support of community projects at a local, national and international level.
Rotary club membership in Bury represents a cross-section of the community's business and professional men and women. Rotary clubs meet weekly and membership is linked to a vocational category. Membership is open to both men and women of all cultures, races, and creeds.
Each Rotary Club operates autonomously within the Rotary family and selects causes it wishes to support each year. Community service is the traditional and well-known face of Rotary. It covers help and advice to the aged, the infirm, young people and all those in need, either directly or through local charitable organisations.
In general Rotary encourages clubs to focus community projects on fighting hunger, environmental concerns, illiteracy, drug abuse prevention, childhood immunisation, and helping the young and the elderly. They also support programmes 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' and Rotary projects address critical issues in communities around the world.
Every Rotarian has the right to attend the meeting of any other club anywhere in the world. International fun and fellowship is at the forefront of Rotary club activities. Membership of a club is an excellent forum for personal development and encouraging high ethical standards in business. Rotarians pride themselves on bringing the same degree of professionalism and integrity to their community as to our paid employment.
Community projects the club is involved in include Africa Rotary Hope which is providing homes for orphans in Rwanda. Closer to home the clubs are supporting LifeSavers in providing funds for the purchase of defibrillators which save thousands of lives every year. Each club has contributed to the purchase of a home in Eritrea where 12 orphaned children can once again live as a family and receive an education. The clubs have supported for many years Rotary KidsOut day in June when we take disadvantaged and disabled children for a day out to Camelot. They work with schools and young people on many projects such as Youth Speaks, Young Chef, Young Inventor as well as mentoring schoolchildren by helping with career interview training. The clubs work with two clubs created for young people, Interact for anyone aged 14 to 18 and Rotaract for 18 to 30 year olds. International work includes supporting the Rotary Aquabox, and Shelterbox projects which provide a rapid response of shelter and safe drinking water in the wake of disasters.
All clubs five Bury Metro clubs are constantly looking for new members to bring further strength to their clubs so that the work can go on. Strong clubs with active members ensure that we can continue to support the community in which we live. Most clubs have web sites which can be accessed via our District site at www.rotary1280.org why not log on and see if we are the sort of organisation which would make you proud to be a member or supporter.
See Ringing in the second Century
