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The Origins of Rotary

In 1905, a Chicago based attorney by the name of Paul P. Harris called a small group of his friends together to discuss an idea. He wanted to start a club that would promote fellowship and communication amongst the business community. Establishing a friendly spirit among business people and giving them the opportunity to compare experiences and ideas was foremost in his vision.

As the group continued to meet, ever expanding their numbers, they rotated their meetings among the members' places of business. This was the catalyst for naming their young group, the Rotary Club of Chicago. Soon after the "Rotary Wheel" was adopted as their official emblem. The club grew to 30 members by the end of that first year and the message of "Rotary" began to spread.

From 1908 to 1921 the Rotary organization spread across the United States and into Canada. In 1922 with clubs on every continent, the Rotary International name was formally adopted. Today, there are over 1.2 million Rotarians in 33,000 local clubs, in more than 200 countries and geographical areas throughout the world. The Warminster Rotary Club is one of these very integral local service hubs.

As an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide, Rotary provides humanitarian services, encourages high ethical standards in all vocations, and helps build goodwill and peace in the world.

Rotary's objective is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise. With a firm commitment to success of this objective, Rotary stresses the development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service, promotes high ethical standards in business and professions, and the recognition of the worthiness of all occupations. By incorporating these principles into their every day personal, business and community life, every Rotarian can advance international understanding and peace, through this worldwide fellowship of business and professional men and women..."United, in the ideal of service."

Rotarians have a proud history and tradition of "Service above Self".