The world's first service club was founded on 23 February 1905 when lawyer Paul Harris and three friends met in a small office in downtown Chicago. These men wanted to rekindle in the turn-of-the-century city the spirit of friendliness they had known in their hometowns. World of the club soon spread and others were invited to join. They named their new club Rotary to describe the practice of meeting in rotation at the members' various places of business. Originally formed for fellowship, the first Rotary club quickly evolved to use the talents and resources of its members to serve the community. By the end of 1905, the Rotary Club of Chicago had 30 members. Within a few years other groups formed service clubs based on the Rotary model. The first Rotary convention was held in the Congress Hotel in Chicago in August 1910. The National Association of Rotary Clubs was organized at that time with 16 member clubs. Rotary Founder Paul Harris was elected the association's first president.

The real magic of the Rotary organization is Service above Self. The formula for activating an element of human nature that brings immense satisfaction to an individual is far greater than monetary rewards. The motive force that has enabled Rotary to survive and prosper is dependability and credibility. Our real challenge lies in retaining these qualities in the midst of a changing environment. Technology, methodology, scientific reference and business strategies are becoming obsolete at a fast rate. Rotary International, our organization of 111 years repute, serving as a healing and binding force of immense power, has responded positively to this changing environment. We must respond positively too and welcome this change. Change renews & recharges. We, as a prominent Club in Rotary District 3141, have several promises yet to keep. Rotary needs men who can dream of things that never were. Dreams create future; impossible dreams are but improbable thoughts. Coupled with a will to act, they become inevitable actions & translate into real life situations. Together we will, together we shall, MAKE DREAMS REAL.

dealers and customers, and the survival of the company is credited to this simple philosophy. Adopted by Rotary in 1943, the 4-Way Test has been translated into more than a hundred languages and published in thousands of ways. Of the things we think, say or do

• Is it the TRUTH?
• Is it FAIR to all concerned?
• Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
• Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

         Rotary's most ambitious undertaking, announced in 1985, is the Polio Plus program a massive campaign to eradicate polio by the year 2005. Conducted with the cooperation of national governments and intergovernmental agencies such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Polio collaboration in the fight against disease. Polio Plus helps support national and regional polio eradication programs by providing vaccine, surveillance support and social mobilization, by the year 2005 the target date for certification of a polio-free-world Rotarian contributions to the global polio eradication effort will reach a half billion US dollars.

         First admitted in 1987, women are today the fastest growing segment of Rotary membership and increasingly hold leadership positions within the organization. Nearly 2,000 women serve as club presidents and woman are also rapidly assuming regional leadership roles. Currently, some 1.2 million professional men and women belong to more than 34,000 clubs worldwide.

         Rotary continues to grow internationally. After the collapse of the Iron Curtain, Rotary clubs which had been disbanded during world War II were re-stablished in central and eastern Europe. In 1990, Rotary clubs were formed in Russia for the first time and other former Soviet republics soon followed. Kyrgyzstan, once a part of the Soviet Union, is a recent addition.

         Today, Rotary International encourages its clubs to focus on a broad spectrum of service activities such as hunger, drug abuse prevention, polio eradication, youth, the elderly and AIDS awareness and education. Rotary clubs around the world are united under the motto Service above Self.

honor, totaling US$ 2 million, launched the Foundation's first program graduate fellowships, now called Ambassadorial Scholarships. Today the Rotary Foundation improves the lives of people in every corner of the world by promoting world understanding and peace through local, national, and international humanitarian, educational and cultural programs.

         Since 1947, the Foundation has awarded more than US$ 1.1 billion in humanitarian and educational grants, which are initiated and administered by local Rotary clubs and districts. Started in 1965, Matching Grants for International service projects involving clubs in two or more countries. The group Study Exchange program, also begun in 1965, has provided grants for more than 11,000 teams of men and women in the early stages of their business and professional careers to travel abroad and share vocational information with the representatives of their respective professions in another country. Team members spend four to six weeks studying the host country's institutions, economy and culture while observing how their own professions are practiced abroad. More than 500 exchanges between paired Rotary districts occur each year, advancing the program's ultimate goal of promoting international understanding and goodwill.

         The foundation initiated Health, Hunger and Humanity (3-H) Grants in 1978. The 3-H Grants are awarded to fund long-term, self-help grassroots development projects that are too large for one club or district to implement on its own. Projects must be self-sustaining after the 3-H grant funds have been expended.

• For friendship : one of the most basic human needs.
• Business Development : Rotarians help each other and collectively others.
• Personal Growth and development : Rotary provides opportunity for continuous education in human relations
• Leadership Development : One learns as to how to motivate, influence and lead leaders.
• Citizenship in the community : Rotary makes one a better community citizen.
• Continuing Education : Each week a new program and hence members are kept up to date and well informed.
• Fun : There is fun in meetings, club projects and in service itself.
• Public speaking : Ample opportunity to master public speaking skills.
• Citizenship in the world : Rotarians can attend any of 34,000+ clubs in 220+ nations and geographical regions.
• Assistance when travelling : Again thanks to Rotary's universal presence one can expect local assistance anywhere.
• Entertainment : provided by club meetings, district meetings and international conventions etc.
• The Development of Social Skills : rotary develops ones personality social skills and people skills
• Family programs : A host of activities Designed to help family members in growth and the development of family values.
• Vocational skills : Rotary helps to make one a better doctor, lawyer, teacher, etc.
• The development of Ethics : Rotarians are expected to be ethical in business and professional relations.
• Cultural Awareness : Rotary is a cross section of worlds most prominent citizens from every background giving opportunity to members to come across every culture.
• Prestige : Rotary is the oldest and most prestigious service club in the world.
• Nice People : Rotarians are important people who follow the policy if it is nice to be important but it is important to be nice.
• The absence of an "Official Creed" : Rotary has no secret policy, no official creed, no secret meeting or rituals.
• The Opportunity to Serve : Rotary is a service club. Its business is mankind. Its product is service.