Speaking of Rotary

The world's first service club, the Rotary Club of Chicago, Illinois, was formed on 23 February 1905 by Paul P. Harris, an attorney who wished to recapture in a professional club the same friendly spirit he had felt in the small towns of his youth. The name "Rotary" derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among members' offices. Today, Rotary is a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders that provides humanitarian service, encourages high ethical standards in all vocations, and helps build goodwill and peace in the world. There have been many books written about Rotary and the great men and women who have served the organization. This is the first book written about Rotarians, by a Rotarian, for Rotarians. Inside these pages you will hear firsthand stories from great Rotarians. These Rotarians hail from nearly 30 states, and 5 Canadian provinces. They represent clubs with as few as 15 members, all the way up to the giant clubs with well over 300 members. You'll read stories from small towns with populations under 2,000 and stories from areas such as Los Angeles and other metropolitan sites. As you read, you'll discover the common thread among this very diverse group. They are all Rotarians, and they all have a love and a dedication to our great organization. Rotarians reading this book cannot help but be inspired by the stories collected on these pages. Whether that inspiration results in a new community project, a new international project, a new way of raising funds, or simply a new twist to the weekly meeting, there are hundreds of stories to stimulate the imagination and add a new wrinkle to any club.