Rotary - An Overview
The following article by Rotarian John Brenton was published on the Worthing Herald website in April 2007.
Rotary International is the world's oldest service club organisation and is
made up of some 31,000 Clubs in more than 166 countries around the world. Our
members form a global network of business and professional leaders who volunteer
their time and talents to serve their local community and the world. Rotary's
original motto " Service above Self" exemplifies the humanitarian spirit of the
organisation's more than 1.2 million members. Very recently a new motto of
‘Humanity in Motion’ has been introduced. Strong fellowship among Rotarians and
meaningful community and international service projects characterise Rotary
worldwide. Rotary enjoys a rich and complex tradition and organisational
structure with many different programmes of local community and international
service and most of these are carried out at club level.
Rotary was formed on the 23rd February, 1905 in Chicago by Paul Harris, a
Chicago attorney who, with five others, founded the Rotary Club of Chicago.
These pioneers decided to hold meetings in each others’ homes on a rota basis,
hence the name ‘Rotary’ was adopted. In 1906 the very first act of Rotary
service was the provision by the Chicago Club of a public toilet outside the
Chicago City Hall; from this small beginning Rotary Clubs undertake every year
practical acts of service in local communities across the world.
In 1917 The Rotary Foundation was established, with a view to ensuring Rotarians
would be able to operate their international service in an efficient and cost
effective way. The Rotary Foundation is Rotary's own charity, and as such it now
operates the largest Educational Scholarship programme in the world; the
Foundation awards more than 1,000 International Scholarships each year, sending
the students to universities around the world to act as ambassadors of goodwill
while studying in a foreign country. Rotary World Peace Scholarships are awarded
to 70 individuals each year to study for a Master's Degree in International
Peace and Conflict Resolution; the first graduates are already making a fine
contribution working in countries like Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Kosovo and
Ethiopia with international organisations and aid programmes.
The Rotary Foundation also finances the largest humanitarian programme in the
world, each year more than 1,200 International humanitarian projects are
assisted financially by the Foundation ; the Grant programme enables Rotarians
to increase the support they give international service projects that provide
water wells, medical care, literacy classes and other essentials to people
around the world that are in need. As an example
Rotary set up a literacy programme in Thailand that dramatically reduced school
failure and was adopted by the Thai government for all the nation’s schools.
In the Rotary year ended 2005 more than US $ 95 million was spent by the
Foundation on its Educational and Humanitarian Programmes and since 1947 Rotary
foundation has awarded more than £1 billion in humanitarian and educational
grants which are administered at the local level – thus ensuring that the money
really gets to those for whom it is intended.
The Rotary Polio Immunisation Campaign is the largest service project undertaken
by Rotary, and our aim is to eradicate Polio from the world. Rotary's commitment
to global Polio eradication began in 1979 with a five year project to immunise
six million Philippine children against this devastating disease. In 1985, when
more than 350,000 people caught Polio each year, around 1.000 new cases in the
world each day, Rotary assessed the value of the project in the Philippines and
decided that nothing short of total eradication would do. Rotarians raised more
than US$ 247million in that year to start the project and since that date Rotary
has contributed more than US$600 million and with its partners including the Red
Cross, a major U.S. Relief Agency and a few other organisations has immunized
over 2 BILLION children around the world. In 1985 more than 125 countries were
polio endemic but now less than 6 countries remain with polio and the world has
only around 1,000 cases a year. Our task is some 99.99% completed but Rotary
will not rest until the disease has been eradicated totally. In an article in
the New York Times in March 2006 it was stated: “The world has donated billions
of dollars for polio eradication. Japan and Great Britain have given more that
$250million, and Canada, the Netherlands, the European Commission and the World
Bank have each given $100 million. FAR AND AWAY THE BIGGEST DONORS HAVE BEEN THE
UNITED STATES AND ROTARY INTERNATIONAL; EACH HAS GIVEN MORE THAN $500 MILLION”.
(In fact as stated earlier Rotary’s contribution has now exceeded $600 million).
It is amazing that Rotary has provided more than twice our own country’s
contribution and as much or more than the United States! I think that Rotarians
can take great pride at what has been achieved and that achievement alone makes
being a Rotarian something special.
The Tsunami Disaster in late 2004 saw Rotary International, including
participation by our Club, along with many other organizations, provide a
humanitarian response to the countries most badly affected. The three Worthing
clubs immediately staged street collections for the Appeal. The value of the
Rotary involvement was that within a few days the Rotary aid was being sent by
air with the first consignment of Rotary Shelter Boxes and Aqua Boxes arriving
in Sri Lanka by Sunday 2nd January 2005. Each Shelter Box contains a tent
capable of sleeping 10 people, water filtration equipment and dehydrated food to
maintain the 10 people for 4 weeks, plus emergency equipment, clothing, sleeping
bags etc. In total Rotary in the UK sent over 8,500 Shelter Boxes by the end of
March 2005 at a cost of some £4 million and this helped more than 85,000 people
to obtain food, shelter, water and vital equipment. The Rotary Aqua Boxes are of
two types (one slightly more basic than the other) and together over 55 ,000
were sent to victims of the tsunami which had sufficient capacity to purify more
than 251,440,000 litres of water – all of this raised from the public
contributing to the Rotary effort.
Interesting Facts About Rotary
• Rotary International is so highly regarded that it has an arrangement with the
International Herald Tribune Group in the U.S. which offers Rotary free
advisement when there is unsold space. Recently the New York Times had a full
page advertisement about Rotary which cost our organisation nothing !
• Rotary on average runs 50,000 club service projects in the world each year.
• On 21st January 2001 and during the week or so that followed a very large
number of Rotary volunteers drawn from several countries, with other helpers
from various agencies administered the polio vaccine to more than 150 million
children in a part of India – and as stated earlier over 2 thousand million
(yes! 2 billion) children have been immunized so far.
• In 1942 a Rotary conference held in London planted the seeds for the
development of U.N.E.S.C.O. – the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization.
• Forty-nine Rotary Members served as delegates and consultants to help draft
the charter of the United Nations.
• Today Rotary holds the highest consultative status within the United Nations
that any non-governmental organization can have. Rotary therefore has a voice
within the UN allowing it access to its people and resources worldwide.
• The Paul Harris Fellowship programme was established in memory of the founder
to recognize substantial contributions to the promotion of goodwill and
understanding in the world. Notable Paul Harris Fellows include: HRH Prince
Charles, HRH The Princess Royal, HRH The Duchess of Kent, Baroness Thatcher,
Baroness Chalker, Mary McAleese, Sir Jimmy Saville and Lord Rix, as well as many
other people distinguished in public life. The late Sir Edward Heath was also a
Paul Harris Fellow. There are of course many outstanding holders of the award in
other countries throughout the world.
• Rotary now admits women and already there are 2000 women presidents of clubs.
Our club is of course dual-gender and we have had two women presidents so far –
with more to come!
• All Rotarians have the right to attend the regular meeting of any Rotary club
in the world by merely turning up on the day. Details of all clubs and where
they meet are contained in a directory which is updated each year. Each club has
a copy.
What you should gain from joining your local rotary club:
NETWORKING – Rotary is the oldest, most prestigious service club in the world.
THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE – Rotarians provide service at both the community and
international levels. Service programmes address health care needs, hunger and
poverty, illiteracy, disaster relief, environmental clean-ups to name a few.
There is a sense of fulfilment from helping others.
PERSONAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT – Whatever their ages Rotarians can benefit from
the opportunity to take part in team-building, public speaking, fundraising and
leadership.
CULTURAL DIVERSITY – Rotary embraces people of every ethnic group, every
political persuasion, language and religion (or those of no religion).
WORLD UNDERSTANDING – Rotary members gain an understanding of humanitarian
issues and have a significant impact on them through international service
projects and exchange programmes of Rotary International and Foundation. The
promotion of peace is one of Rotary’s highest objectives.
ENTERTAINMENT AND FUN – District conferences and events and many social and even
sporting activities within individual clubs provide the lighter side to service.
Being a Rotarian should be an enjoyable experience – having fun and helping
others is the aim.
ETHICAL STANDARDS – Rotarians should practise a 4-Way Test: “Are my words or
actions based on truthfulness, fairness, goodwill and benefit to all?”
Encouraging high ethical standards to one’s profession or business life and
respect for all worthy occupations has been a hallmark of Rotary from its
earliest days.
STRUCTURE OF ROTARY – The headquarters of Rotary International are situated in
Evanston, near Chicago, Illinois, USA. All clubs are subject to the basic rules
of Rotary such as the requirement of members to attend a minimum of 60 per cent
of weekly meetings. Such meetings include a meal as Rotarians believe that
greater fellowship and friendship can be fostered if members eat together.
However in recent times the rules on attendance have been amended so that if a
Rotarian attends some fundraising occasion, social event or other function on
behalf of Rotary or attends a committee meeting, such attendances can count
towards the required target of attendances. Even attending a Rotary meeting on
board a cruise ship can count as an attendance! Attending a meeting at another
club also counts of course. In fact greater flexibility is now practised by
clubs in recognition of the demands on some members by their employment and in
practical terms a failure to meet the 60 per cent attendance figure would be
very unlikely to cause a member to forfeit his or her membership.
Apart from clubs which form part of Rotary in Great Britain and the whole of the
island of Ireland, all clubs abroad are responsible to and report through their
districts directly to R.I. (Rotary International) in Evanston.
R.I.B.I. (Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland) has a separate and
unique organization with headquarters in Alcester, Warwickshire. It has its own
structure and secretariat and reports to Evanston. Clubs in the UK and Ireland
report to R.I.B.I. Each country is divided into districts in geographical areas
and in the UK and Ireland districts usually comprise about 60 clubs. There are
59 clubs in District 1250, the one which covers Worthing.
In charge for a year is the District Governor. His team comprises a chairman
responsible for each of the different areas of service such as Community and
Vocational, International, Foundation, and so on – in fact a replica of each
club’s structure. The chairman of each club committee can seek guidance from the
appropriate chairman at District..
In addition Assistant Governors are appointed also for a year. In the case of
our district which comprises West Sussex, part of East Sussex including Brighton
and Hove, and part of Surrey, each of our four Assistant Governors has
responsibility to the District Governor for about 15 clubs. It is from the ranks
of these officials, who like the District Governor remain members of their clubs
during their term of office, that the next District Governor is appointed.
Districts have no premises and meetings are held at convenient locations.
District assemblies and committee meetings are held sometimes at the South of
England Show premises at Ardingly but school premises, the YMCA in Horsham and
other suitable venues have also been used.
CLUB STRUCTURE – The Rotary year runs from July 1 to June 30. Our club has the
following structure (and most clubs have similar with of course the principal
officers and main committees being mandatory):
President
Vice-President (next year’s President)
Second Vice-President (President in the year after next)
Hon. Treasurer
Hon. Secretary
Child and Vulnerable Persons Protection Officer
Club Almoner
Attendance Officer and Duties Roster
Webmaster and IT Specialist
Communications Officer
Health and Safety Officer
Sports Officer
Weekly Newsletter Editor
Programme Secretary
Youth Activities Officer
Fundraising Co-ordinator
Disasters Fund Administrator
(The club’s annual accounts are examined and certified by an independent
suitably qualified person).
Club Council (comprises the immediate Past President, chairmen of each club
committee and six ordinary members of the club)
The President, Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer are ex officio members of all
committees. Council is the governing committee of the club and all matters fall
under its remit.
Club Service Committee deals with everything relating to the club and its
administration, strategy, morale, policy, membership and so on. It reports to
Council on club matters.
Community and Vocational Service Committee deals with service to the local
community involving practical help and financial giving where appropriate.
International and Foundation Committee deals with help to those less fortunate
abroad – mainly in third world countries including disaster emergencies,
providing money to purchase tents and food and helping fund various projects to
improve the lives of the recipients. Of course it also covers the Polio Plus
programme.
Membership Committee is concerned with the recruitment of new members and their
retention.
All officers have to be elected each year for a year’s service. Some may serve
for a second year or for even longer but they have to be elected every year.
ROTARY IN WORTHING
Rotary started in Worthing in 1922 with the formation of the Rotary Club of
Worthing on March 1 of that year and by March 5 the new club had agreed and
published plans to support Worthing Hospital financially.
Christmas 1923 saw the first distribution of Christmas parcels for the needy in
the town, a service which has continued each year, financed by public donations
at the Rotary Christmas Tree of Goodwill situated in the Montague Street
precinct. In recent times we have been able through the kindness of the
companies concerned to collect also from some other sites such as supermarkets.
In 2005 and 2006 we had successful collections at a Garden Centre at Angmering.
As a matter of interest, at Christmas 2006 our club collected just over £7,000,
a record figure, and the 59 clubs in our Rotary district collected a grand total
of around £165,000 for good causes.
In 1924 the Club purchased land to provide playing fields for the children of
the town and in 1927 the club gave the land, through the Borough Council, to the
children in perpetuity. The Rotary Sports Ground, as it is known, is situated on
the Upper Brighton Road and is still much used by many different sports clubs
and youth organizations.
The Great Depression in the aftermath of the First World War saw the Worthing
Rotary Club praised by the Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin who wrote in the The
Times newspaper: “The lead given by the Rotary Club of Worthing in organizing
aid for the unemployed of Brynmawr, South Wales, will, I hope be followed by
other prosperous parts of the country – there can be no more practical way of
helping a community than by following Worthing’s example.” The town of Brynmawr
still has a social club which meets
in Worthing House, named after the town that helped many in their time of need
and our Rotary Club was last in touch with that town a year or two ago.
Our Club has assisted many organizations in the town, being responsible for the
formation of the Worthing Boys’ Club in Ivy Arch Road whom we still support
today and members of our Club are on its management
committee, including club Past President Chris Hatton, who in 2006 was elected
the President of the Boys’ Club. Chris will serve again as President of our club
in the Rotary year 2007 – 2008.
In 1945 our Club supported the formation of the Inner Wheel Club of Worthing,
our sister organization which celebrated its 60th anniversary on 18th June 2005
and which over the years has given our club tremendous support.
1952 saw the Club sponsor the formation of the town’s second Rotary club – West
Worthing Club and 1978 saw the two clubs sponsor the formation of the Worthing
Steyne Club.
In the 1970s Worthing Rotary clubs paid for the provision of a sunken sensory
garden on the southern end of Steyne Gardens for the benefit of blind people.
The gardens received a re-vamp in 2007.
Our 50th anniversary year appeal saw the Club raise a substantial five-figure
sum to finance the building of Methold House for Guild Care.
Each year on August Bank Holiday Monday (since 1923 and to the present time,
with the exception of the war years and their aftermath), our Club has organized
one of the biggest and most popular events in the Worthing calendar, the Rotary
Fair and Carnival Procession. In recent times in equal partnership in this have
been the two other Rotary Clubs in Worthing but for the past few years West
Worthing alone have been our partners leaving the Worthing Steyne club to carry
out other projects. The Bank Holiday event gives entertainment to the public and
large crowds are drawn to the event and quite considerable funds are collected
for our charitable purposes. All able-bodied members of the two club are
expected to take part in some capacity and there is a separate committee of
members of the two clubs who make the arrangements.
On the International Service side of our activities, the club has helped sponsor
young business and professional people to take part in exchange trips to South
Africa, USA and India with the aim of helping those young people develop their
careers. We have also provided the finance for more than 500 people in
Bangalore, India to receive cataract eye operations to restore their sight, the
youngest person to benefit was 17 years and the oldest 82 years.
In the Rotary year 2002-2003 we raised US$10.000 to finance the provision of
school equipment for the Methodist Girls’ School of Mafme, Ghana. The money was
used to provide computers, books, domestic science and sports equipment, desks
and chairs and other school furniture. In addition two water wells were dug
which now provide sufficient water resources for both the school and the Mamfe
villagers.
For a number of years our club has funded the education of two children in third
world countries and the most recently supported of these live in the Dominican
Republic and in the Philippines respectively. We receive letters from these
children from time to time.
These are but a few examples of the help that we have given overseas. Normally
several projects are identified for our help each year, sometimes continuing
from the previous year and we budget to raise the necessary funds to meet our
requirements.
In July 2005, in Steyne Gardens, under the enthusiastic initiative, drive and
planning of Past President Janet Stockwell Rotary celebrated its centenary in a
spectacular way which informed the public about Rotary and its achievements and
aims. It was a memorable occasion. It is pleasant to record that Janet was our
first lady president. Let us hope that Rotary can move on into its second 100
years continuing to be a force for good in the world.
I conclude by paying tribute to the people of Worthing and district for their
generous support over the 85 years that Rotary has served in Worthing and
without whose help we would not have been able to carry out our work. I should
also like to thank the Worthing Herald not only for their sponsorship of our
annual “flagship event” – the August Bank Holiday Fair and Carnival Procession -
but also for their co-operation in practical ways and their readiness throughout
the year to give us the publicity which is invaluable in promoting the work that
we do. Over the years the Worthing Herald and its associated newpapers have
played an outstanding role in our local community.