Rotary International

Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. In more than 160 countries worldwide, approximately 1.2 million Rotarians belong to more than 30,000 Rotary clubs.
 
Rotary club membership represents a cross-section of the community's business and professional men and women. The world's Rotary clubs meet weekly and are nonpolitical, nonreligious, and open to all cultures, races, and creeds.
 
The main objective of Rotary is service — in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world. Rotarians develop community service projects that address many of today's most critical issues, such as children at risk, poverty and hunger, the environment, illiteracy, and violence. They also support programs for youth, educational opportunities and international exchanges for students, teachers, and other professionals, and vocational and career development. The Rotary motto is Service Above Self.
 
Although Rotary clubs develop autonomous service programs, all Rotarians worldwide are united in a campaign for the global eradication of polio. In 1985 when Rotary began it's campaign to eradicate polio There were over a 1000 children a day dying from Polio, in 2001 there were less than 2000 cases for the year.
 
Rotary Club of the Stroudsburgs
 
 
The Rotary Club of the Stroudsburgs was chartered May 1, 1922 by a group of Stroudsburg businessmen.  From 1922 until 1986, the club was a "men only" service club with women being sponsored for membership in 1987.  Rotarians meet weekly for lunch to further their service based goals and objectives.
 
Members of the Rotary Club of the Stroudsburgs focus on giving of themselves in both time and talent.  Through annual fundraisers such as the Rotary Regatta (September), Annual Auction (March) and Spaghetti Dinner (April), funds have been raised for:
  • Student scholarships at the high school and college level.
  • Purchase of 8 vans, the Daffodil Express, for the Monroe County Chapter of the American Cancer Society.
  • Support of many local non-profits including the United Way; Big Brothers, Big Sisters; Equilibrium; Family Promis; Monroe County Historical Society; P.A.T.H.; Pocono Arts Council; and Pocono Family YMCA.
The club also supports those in need around the world through its International Service Projects.  Some of the service projects include:
  • Haiti School & Water
  • Shelter Box-provides food and shelter to those hit by natural disasters
  • Sewing Machine & Bike Project
  • Liberia Mama Kit Project
  • Bicycle Collection
 

Objectives of Rotary

The object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise.  In particular, Rotary seeks to encourage and foster:
  • Development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service
  • High ethical standard in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations, and the dignifying of each Rotarians' occupation as an opportunity to serve society.
  • The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, business and community life.
  • The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.