What is Rotary?

Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders (men & women) united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. In more than 210 countries worldwide, approximately 1.2 million Rotarian”s belong to more than 34,000 Rotary clubs. Rotary club membership represents a cross-section of the community”s business and professional men and women. The world”s Rotary clubs meet weekly and are non-political, non-religious, and open to all cultures, races, and creed. The main objective of Rotary is service in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world. Rotarian”s develop community service projects that address many of today”s most critical issues, such as children at risk, poverty and hunger, the environment, illiteracy, and violence. They also support programs for youth, educational opportunities and international exchanges for students, teachers, and other professionals, and vocational and career development. The Rotary motto is Service Above Self.

Rotary”s Guiding Principles are: the Four-Way Test, The Object of Rotary and The Four Avenues of Service.

The Four-Way Test The test, which has been translated into more than 100 languages, asks the following questions: Of the things we think, say or do:

1.Is it the TRUTH?

2.Is it FAIR to all concerned?

3.Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?

4.Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

The Object of Rotary

The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster: •FIRST. The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service; •SECOND. High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying of each Rotarian”s occupation as an opportunity to serve society; •THIRD. The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian”s personal, business, and community life; •FOURTH. The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.

For more information and to make contact with Rotary Club of Albany call 021 640 999

Avenues of Service

Based on the Object of Rotary, the Avenues of Service are Rotary’s philosophical cornerstone and the foundation on which club activity is based:

•Club Service focuses on strengthening fellowship and ensuring the effective functioning of the club.

•Vocational Service encourages Rotarian''s to serve others through their vocations and to practice high ethical standards. •Community Service covers the projects and activities the club undertakes to improve life in its community.

•International Service encompasses actions taken to expand Rotary’s humanitarian reach around the globe and to promote world understanding and peace.

•New Generations Service recognizes the positive change implemented by youth and young adults through leadership development activities, service projects, and exchange programs. Although Rotary clubs develop autonomous service programs, all Rotarian''s worldwide are united in a campaign for the global eradication of polio.

In the 1980s, Rotarian''s raised US$240 million to immunize the children of the world through the Polio Plus program. In addition, Rotary has provided an army of volunteers to promote and assist at national immunization days in polio-endemic countries around the world. The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International is a not-for-profit corporation that promotes world understanding through international humanitarian service programs and educational and cultural exchanges. It is supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarian''s and others who share its vision of a better world.

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.