“Whatever Rotary may mean to us, to the world it will be known by the results it achieves.”
Paul Harris, Rotary Founder
Rotary started with the vision of one man — Paul Harris. The Chicago attorney formed the Rotary Club of Chicago on February 23, 1905, so professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships. Click Read More for additional information.
Here’s something to think about. Mr. Loehr was 41, Mr. Schiele 35, Mr. Shorey 43 and Paul Harris was 37 when they started Rotary. At the next meeting they were joined by the 5th Rotarian, Harry Ruggles, who was 34. Today we would struggle to find members as young as those who founded our organization 120 years ago.
The first meeting was two years after the Wright Brothers first flight. There was no long-distance phone service. No broadcast radio. It was three years before the Model T. Women could not even vote, let alone join Rotary. It was a very different time.
Rotary has a long history that we should be proud of. But our mission is to serve, not preserve. As our Rotary International President Elect Mário César Martins de Camargo stated in his recent address to the International Assembly; “Technology, social expectations, and economic conditions evolve constantly, and Rotary must evolve with them. Innovation is how we adapt to this changing world.”
Rotary’s core values remain unchanged. But many of our operational “traditions” impact our ability to grow and thrive. How we run our organization must evolve. Technology was primitive in 1905. It has advanced dramatically and has changed how people work, meet and play. While women were not allowed into Rotary until 1989, today they are integral and contributing at every level of our organization. The population has grown 4X since 1905 and has become more diverse. We must embrace that diversity, because we are here to serve everyone in need.
Young people, and senior individuals seeking purpose and connection, will embrace Rotary if we give them the opportunity and we agree to meet them outside our traditional framework. We will probably not be wearing a coat and tie while standing at attention. The images will certainly not be black and white. And we might not even meet them in person. But we will meet and invite them to be Rotarians.
As President Elect Mário said; “In a world often divided, Rotary stands as a beacon of unity and hope.” That was true in 1905. It remains true and even more important in 2025.
Happy Anniversary Rotary! It is time to Embrace Change and Unite For Good.