Press Release from RIBI

February 2004

ROTARIANS TO CELEBRATE A CENTURY OF SERVICE

Rotarians in Great Britain and Ireland are making plans to celebrate a century of service to their communities. The first Rotary Club was founded by Paul Harris in Chicago, USA on 23rd February 1905. Ever since, Rotary’s work has spanned the globe, with clubs in 166 countries and a membership of 1.2 million business men and women.

As the Rotary Centenary approaches Rotarians around the world are encouraged to focus on three key goals for 2005: eradicating polio, increasing membership to 1.5 million members and supporting The Rotary Foundation. To mark the centennial year 2004/2005 Rotary Clubs are encouraged to initiate Centennial Community Projects to benefit their communities and to demonstrate the remarkable scope and power of Rotary service.

The most ambitious project is the eradication of polio. Since 1985 two billion children have been immunised and a target set to eradicate polio by 2005. By 2005 Rotary’s contribution to polio eradication will exceed half a billion dollars.

The final phase is proving the most difficult and renewed efforts are being made to bridge a $275 million funding gap.Through Rotary’s efforts and those of partner agencies including World Health Organisation, United Nations Children’s Fund, United States Centers for Disease Control and governments around the world, the world has seen a 99 per cent reduction in the number of polio cases worldwide since 1985.

In order for Rotary to maintain its status as the premiere service club organisation it is vital that membership continues to grow. With just more than 1.2 million members currently, the goal of 1.5 million members provides an ambitious challenge to clubs to focus their efforts on encouraging more business men and women to join the ranks of Rotary.

To continue and expand the work of The Rotary Foundation, the world’s largest private charity, all Rotarians are encouraged to support the Foundation on an annual basis. The Foundation funds world understanding and peace initiatives through local, national and international humanitarian, education, and cultural programmes.

In Great Britain and Ireland Rotary Clubs are planning hundreds of Centennial Community Projects such as planting a Rotary Glade of Maples at the Westonbirt Arboretum; a Rotary Wheel aerial landmark and memorial forest at Oldham; commissioning a Rotary Rose; constructing 2000 metres of a dry stone wall, and funding £100,000 project for a Diabetes research laboratory in Plymouth. Many clubs will also undertake twin club projects with clubs in the developing world. In addition in March 2005 every Rotarian is asked to give 10 hours of voluntary service in their community. To get the full flavour add to this a raft of centenary dinners, conferences, balls, concerts, car rallies, walks, cycle rides and celebrations of service in some twenty cathedrals around the country.

Volunteerism is an important part of civic life. Rotary’s century of service is proof that volunteers do make a difference.

For more information please contact Judith Diment on 01628 672965 or 07860 162313 or judithdiment@aol.com

Notes to Editors

Rotary is an organisation of business and professional men and women who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards, and help to build goodwill and peace in the world. Paul Harris formed the world’s first service club in Chicago on 23rd February 1905. The name Rotary is derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among members’ offices. Today there are some 1.2 million Rotary club members of more than 30,000 clubs in 166 countries.
In Great Britain and Ireland there are 1833 clubs with 58,000 members. The oldest Rotary Clubs in Great Britain and Ireland are Dublin, Belfast, London and Manchester which were founded in 1911.