Welcome

 

While Rotary is known as one of the world's largest and most active service organizations, this was not always the case.  You may be surprised to learn that in 1905, when Rotary began, it was not based on the idea of 'Service Above Self.' Instead, the two main aims of the original club in Chicago, IL, were “the promotion of the business interests of its members” and “good fellowship and other desiderata ordinarily incident to Social Clubs.” However, Paul Harris, our founder, was not satisfied with these goals and wanted a club that would get involved in civic affairs and community service.  He worked with Donald Carter to introduce a third objective of Rotary: “the advancement of the best interests of Chicago.” As Harris later remembered, “I concluded that the most practical method of introducing community service would be to find a worthy cause and then induce members to work for it.”

 

Today, some 119 years later, Rotary International is made up of more than 500 geographic Districts, each with between 45-60 clubs in the District. 

 

Our local district, known as District 5180, is made up of 36 clubs across Northern California with more than 1,700 members.  Together, District 5180 is committed to supporting a wide variety of community service projects in the local area as well as around the world.  We look to support service projects guided by Rotary's key causes:

 

+ Education and literacy

+ Peace and conflict resolution

+ Disease Prevention and treatment

+ Water and sanitation

+ Maternal and child health

+ Economic and community development

+ Environment

 

And, there are many other service projects that each club engages in to meet critical local community needs.  

 

In the spring of each year,  all of our clubs participate in Rotary Work Day, with the goal to bring together Rotarians and other community members and agencies in a local service project aimed at meeting a special need in the area.  

 

Whether you are a member of a Rotary Club or not, if you are interested in serving the community and want to know more about how to be a part of a project with a local Rotary Club, please feel free to contact us at admin@rotary5180.com.