| Rotary's first
day and the years that followed..
February 23, 1905: The airplane had yet to stay aloft
more than a few minutes. The first motion picture Theater
had not yet opened. Norway and Sweden were peacefully
terminating their union. On this particular day, a Chicago
lawyer, Paul P. Harris, called three friends to a meeting.
What he had in mind was a club that would kindle
fellowship among members of the business community. It
was an idea that grew from his desire to find within the
large city the kind of friendly spirit that lie knew in the
villages where he had grown tip.
The four businessmen didn’t decide then and there to call
themselves a Rotary club, but their get-together was. in
fact, the first meeting of the world’s first Rotary club. As
they continued to meet, adding of hers to the group. t hey
rotated their meetings among the members’ places of
business, hence the name. Soon after the club name was
agreed upon, one of the new members suggested a wagon
wheel design as the club emblem lt. was t he precursor of
the familiar cogwheel emblem now worn by Rotarians
around the world. By the end of 1905, the club had 30
members
The second Rotary club was formed in 1908 Half a
continent away from Chicago - in San Francisco, California.
It was a much shorter leap across San Francisco Bay to
Oakland, California, where the third club was formed others
followed in Seattle, Washington, Los Angeles, California,
and New York City. New York. Rotary became international
in 1910 when a club was formed in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Canada By 1921 the organization was represented on
every continent, and the name Rotary International was
adopted in 1922.
Our Augusta Maine Club was founded in 1916. |
History
Four Way Test
Business
Declaration
Faces
of Rotary
Rules
of membership
Past
Presidents
Paul Harris
Fellows
Interested
in Joining?
My
friend should be a member
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