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Rotary is an international organisation

The first Rotary Club was organised in Chicago in 1905 by Paul P. Harris. This club met in rotation at the offices of the members, thus the name Rotary. There are now more than 35,000 Rotary Clubs with a total membership of over 1.2 million men and women. Rotarians are members of a specific club, such as the Rotary Club of Burnie, and it is the Club that is a member of Rotary International. Each Club is also deemed to be in a Rotary District. There are 535 Districts in all. Burnie Club is one of 44 clubs in District 9830 (Tasmania); together these clubs have over 1,200 members. Rotary International is governed by a president and board of directors elected from all over the world. Annually, each District elects a District Governor and each club elects its officers and directors.

ROTARY'S VISION STATEMENT: Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change - across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.

ROTARY'S CORE VALUES: FELLOWSHIP; INTEGRITY; DIVERSITY; SERVICE; LEADERSHIP

people planning

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 the following:
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 by each Rotarian of their occupation as an opportunity to serve society.
THIRD: The application of the ideal of service by every Rotarian to their personal, business, and community life.
FOURTH: The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world of fellowship of business and professional people united in the ideal of service.

Burnie Rotary Club is organised into five areas of focus (see below).

CLUB ADMINISTRATION

FOUNDATION

MEMBERSHIP

PUBLIC IMAGE

ROTARY INFORMATION

The Rotary Foundation

Rotary International (“RI”) has defined  six areas of focus for its financial aid around the world via the Foundation. These are:

  • Promoting Peace
  • Fighting Disease
  • Providing Clean Water, Sanitation & Hygiene
  • Saving Mothers & Children
  • Growing Local Economies

The Foundation administers three key funds:

  1. In 2020, the Annual Fund had US$464 million. The average annual return on investment is about 6.5%
  2. Endowment Fund provides a permanent, sustainable source of funds; contributions are invested in perpetuity. This Fund had US$404 million in 2020, with an average annual return on investment of 7.7%
  3. End Polio Fund is a special account to ensure funds exist to end Polio; its funds are invested only in short-term bonds. In addition, the End Polio Fund has a special agreement with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Overall, the Rotary Foundation awarded US$87 million in 2018, through over 1,300 grants.

The Four-Way Test of the things Rotarians Think, Say or Do

The Four-Way Test was created in 1932 by Rotarian Herbert Taylor when he was asked to take charge of a company that was facing bankruptcy. His 24-word test for employees to follow in their business and professional lives became the guide for sales, production, advertising, and all relations with dealers and customers, and the survival of the company is credited to this simple philosophy. Adopted by Rotary in 1943, The Four-Way Test has been translated into more than a hundred languages and published in thousands of ways.

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