Rotarians, who have embraced the organization's
motto, "Service Above Self," represent a cross section
of all types of businesses, vocations and professions. The name
"Rotary" came from the practice of the early clubs of
"rotating" their meetings from business-to-business
each week. Rotary's gearwheel symbolizes the name and represents
the "meshing" of Rotary with other organizations for
useful purpose. Rotary works to bring together people of all races,
faiths and political views.
Membership is based upon one representative for
each business or profession to ensure a wide representation for
community projects. Rotary International has had a special relationship
with the United Nations for more than a half century.
Today, Rotary has consultative status with UNICEF,
UNESCO, the World Health Organization and the UN Economic and
Social Council. Rotary maintains representatives at UN headquarters
in New York, Geneva and Vienna and with UNESCO in Paris. These
representatives provide information to Rotary International on
the relevant activities of the United Nations and its affiliated
agencies. More information can be obtained about Rotary International
by visiting their site on the Internet's Worldwide Web at: http://www.rotary.org/.
Rotary is organized at club, district and international
levels to carry out its program of service around the globe. Rotarians
are members of their clubs and the clubs are members of the global
association known as Rotary International. Clubs are grouped into
Rotary districts, each led by a district governor who is an officer
of Rotary International and represents the RI board of directors
in the field.
The Rotary Club of The Mendhams is part of District
7470 composed of 55 clubs in northern New Jersey. A nineteen-member
board of directors, which includes the International President
and President-Elect, administers Rotary International. While the
Rotary International president is chief executive of the organization,
the active managing officer is the General Secretary, who heads
a staff of about 450 people working in nine centers around the
world. The International Headquarters is in Evanston, Illinois,
a suburb of Chicago.
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 every 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.
The 4-Way Test 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?
