About Rotary - Facts About Rotary

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The Rotary Motto

The principal motto of Rotary is: "Service Above Self." The secondary motto is: "He Profits Most Who Serves Best."

The Rotary Wheel Emblem

The Rotary gearwheel, seen on lapels and city-limit signs around the world, is the one graphic element that universally identifies Rotary Clubs and their members in every corner of the world. In 1923, Rotary adopted as its official symbol the present gear wheel with 24 cogs and six spokes. The emblem is made into a lapel pin presented to new members of Rotary, and Rotarians are encouraged to wear the pin in their daily business activities.

Exchange of Club Banners

One of the colorful traditions of many Rotary clubs is the exchange of small banners, flags or pennants. Rotarians traveling to distant locations often take banners to exchange at "make up" meetings as a token of friendship.

Many clubs use the decorative banners they have received for attractive displays at club meetings and district events. The Rotary International board recognized the growing popularity of the banner exchange back in 1959 and suggested that those clubs which participate in such exchanges give careful thought to the design of their banners in order that they be distinctive and expressive of the community and country of which the club is a part.

It is recommended that banners include pictures, slogans or designs which portray the territorial area of the club. The board was also mindful of the financial burden such exchanges may impose upon some clubs, especially in popular areas where many visitors make up and request to exchange.

 In all instances, clubs are cautioned to exercise discretion and moderation in the exchange of banners in order that the financial obligations do not interfere with the basic service activities of the club. Exchanging club banners is a very pleasant custom, especially when a creative and artistic banner tells an interesting story of community pride. The exchange of banners is a significant tradition of Rotary and serves as a tangible symbol of our international fellowship.

The Rotary Club

A Rotary club is an organization of business and professional leaders in a well defined community. Each club is chartered by Rotary International with an assigned territorial boundary. The Purposes of the club are fellowship and service. The club is governed by a president, vice-president. president-elect and Secretary/Treasurer as the officers and a Board of Directors. Club members are to be adult persons of good character and good reputation who are proprietors, partners, corporate officer or managers of a business or profession or who hold important positions with an executive capacity. All clubs are subject to the rules and regulations as laid down by Rotary International and District Rules. Clubs are required to adopt and abide by the Rotary International Standard Club Constitution. Each club has some voice in establishing its own By-Laws, but they must conform to the Rotary International Standard Club By-Laws. For a history of Christiana Rotary, click here.

Opportunities For Fellowship

Most Rotarians are successful professional and business executives because they hear opportunities knock and take advantage of them. Once a week the opportunity for Rotary fellowship occurs at each club meeting, but not all members hear it knocking. The weekly club meeting is a special privilege of Rotary membership. It provides the occasion to visit with fellow members, to meet visitors you have not known before, and to share your personal friendship with other members. Rotary clubs, which have a reputation of being friendly clubs usually, follow a few simple steps: First, members are encouraged to sit in a different seat or at a different table each week. Second, Rotarians are urged to sit with a member they may not know as well as their long-time personal friends. Third, members invite new members or visitors to join their table just by saying: "Come join us, we have an empty chair at this table." Fourth, members share the conversation around the table rather than merely eating in silence or talking privately to the person next to them. Fifth, Rotarians make a special point of trying to get acquainted with all members of the club by seeking out those they may not know. When Rotarians follow these five easy steps, an entirely new opportunity for fellowship knocks each week. Soon Rotarians realize that warm and personal friendship is the cornerstone of every great Rotary club.

The Organization of Rotary International

Technically, each Rotary Club belongs to Rotary International, and each Rotarian is a member of a Rotary Club, not Rotary International. Rotary International is divided into Zones with a number of Rotary Districts in each Zone. The president, Secretariat and Board of Directors govern Rotary International. There are 17 directors in RI who are elected for two year terms with an overlap of members to provide continuity. Christiana Rotary is located in Zone 32.

The Rotary District

A Rotary District is a geographical territory in which Rotary Clubs are associated for Rotary International administration. Christiana Rotary is in District 7630 which has 41 Clubs located throughout the State of Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland and approximately 2,000 members. The District maintains a web site at www.rotary7630.org. The District Governor is the single officer of Rotary International in this District. Each District Governor has been extensively trained to do his or her job while serving a year as District Governor. In addition, each governor, and if possible their spouse, must attend a Governors Elect training meeting held in the spring of the year in which they are to become governor.  The governor serves for one year beginning July 1st and ending June 30th.

Some of the duties of the District Governor are:

Rotary International

The headquarters of Rotary International (RI) is located at One Rotary Center, 1560 Sherman Avenue, Evanston, Illinois, 60201.  The President for 2006-2007 is Bill Boyd.

Dear Fellow Rotarians,

    Rotary is so much more than the sum of its parts. Every program of Rotary the club and district activities, the scholarships and exchanges, and the vast and varied humanitarian projects serves a different purpose. No two clubs anywhere are exactly alike, and it is this diversity that is our strength.

    Together, we show the world that a better future is possible anywhere and everywhere and that generosity of spirit, tolerance for differences, and high moral values are not obstacles to success but the path to success.In a world full of ethical challenges, where cooperation among countries and tolerance of differences is so vital to peace, Rotary provides a much-needed example of solid integrity, international cooperation, and the spirit of volunteerism.

William B. Boyd RI President 2006-07     Rotary provides a much- needed   example of solid integrity, international cooperation, and the spirit of volunteerism.     My theme for the 2006-07 Rotary year, Lead the Way, reflects my belief in the power of Rotarians to change the world. Together, 1.2 million Rotarians will Lead the Way to a brighter future through fellowship and service.

My theme for the 2006-07 Rotary year, Lead the Way, reflects my belief in the power of Rotarians to change the world. Together, 1.2 million Rotarians will Lead the Way to a brighter future through fellowship and service.      Today’s world needs heroes, not celebrities. All of us in Rotary are ordinary people with busy lives, striving to do our best. Quietly, in thousands of different ways, we are working to make the world a better, healthier, and safer place. I believe strongly that we, as Rotarians, must be motivated in our choice of service much more by what is practical and necessary than by what tugs at our emotions. We must identify real needs and work flexibly and cooperatively. Rotary service cannot be a one-way street; every project must be a partnership with those we wish to help.     Throughout the world, there are so many tremendous needs. As Rotarians, it is easy to want to meet them all, but as practical people, we know that we must apply our efforts where they can do the most good. For this reason, I have chosen water management, literacy, health and hunger, and the family of Rotary as my emphases for 2006-07.     Outside of Rotary, there is far too little awareness of the shortage of clean, safe water in the developing world. If a natural disaster wiped out 6,000 children under the age of five in one day, it would be on the front page of every newspaper. And yet, 6,000 children do die, every single day, from waterborne illnesses. This is a situation that can be addressed very effectively through small-scale projects on a local level and has been addressed through successful Rotary projects for many years. I encourage clubs and districts throughout the Rotary world to expand on this work and focus on bringing clean water wherever it is needed, one community at a time.      As a member of a family of readers, literacy has always been very important to me, and its value to society can hardly be overestimated. Literacy is a prerequisite for democracy, stability, and prosperity in a nation; it has the potential to halt the cycle of poverty and bring a better life to the next generation. Literacy has been a Rotary priority for many RI presidents and must remain high on our agenda.     Health and hunger concerns encompass much of the work that Rotary clubs do at the local level. These projects are at the very core of Rotary service and brought us to the great work of PolioPlus. We must continue to work for polio eradication until it is achieved, and pursue the many and varied health and hunger projects that Rotary is known for worldwide.

RI holds an international Conference in June of each year for all persons who desire to attend. The conference is normally held every other year in the U.S. alternating with a major international city. The number of delegates often approaches 30,000 representing Rotarians from all over the world.  The 2007 conference will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah from June 17th to June 20th.  For details about the International conference,

Facts About Rotary For an in depth review of all aspects of Rotary, click on the link below.      Facts About Rotary   Please Note:   In order to view "Facts About Rotary," you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer.  If you don't have Acrobat Reader, you can download it for free from Adobe by clicking the button below.