Rotarians are business and professional leaders who take an active role in their communities while greatly enriching their personal and professional lives. A Rotary Club contains a diverse group of professionals and business leaders from the community that the club serves.
Membership in a Rotary Club offers a number of benefits, including:
THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE: Rotary is a service club. Rotarians provide community service to both local and international communities. This is perhaps the best reason for becoming a Rotarian: the chance to do something for somebody else and to sense the self-fulfillment that comes in the process and return of that satisfaction to one’s own life. It is richly rewarding.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: One of the original reasons for Rotary’s beginning is business development. Everyone needs to network. Rotary consists of a cross section of every business community. Its members come from all walks of life. Rotarians help each other and collectively help others.
CITIZENSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY: Membership in a Rotary Club makes one a better community citizen. The average Rotary Club consists of the most active citizens of any community.
CITIZENSHIP IN THE WORLD: Every Rotarian receives a pin that says “Rotary International”. There are few places on the globe that do not have a Rotary Club. Every Rotarian is welcome-even encouraged to attend any of the over 33,000 clubs located in more than 200 countries. This means instant friends in both one’s own community and in the world community.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF ETHICS: Rotarians practice the 4-Way Test that governs one’s ethical standards. Rotarians are expected to be ethical in business and personal relationships.
PRESTIGE: Rotary members are prominent people: leaders of business, professionals, the arts, government, sports, military, religion, and all disciplines. Rotary is the oldest and the most prestigious service club in the world. Its ranks include those people who make decisions and influence policy.
THE ABSENCE OF AN “OFFICIAL CREED”: The Rotary has no secret handshake, no secret policy, no official creed, and no secret meetings or rituals. It is an open society of men and women who simply believe in helping others.
CONTINUING EDUCATION: Each week at Rotary there is a program designed to keep one informed about what is going on in the community, nation, and world. Each meeting provides an opportunity to listen to different speakers and a variety of timely topics.