I'm glad you asked.
Rotary is a world service organization whose goal is to promote world peace and understanding.
We are the ones who originally set out to eradicate polio! Yes, it was started by a Rotarian long ago (in 1979, actually). For the whole story on that click here: Rotary International Polio Page and here: Rotary Celebrates three decades of polio eradication.
We are over a million people in over 200 countries and territories around the world. We work locally to strengthen our own communities and collectively world wide to help the world community as well.
How can you get involved? Find a local club to go check out. Feel free to tell them I sent you. Don't know how to find them? There is, of course, an app for that! It's called Rotary Club Locator.
Rotary is based on fellowship and high ethical standards in business. We get together weekly to have meetings. At our meetings we have fun with each other, update each other on club projects and have a speaker so we stay knowledgeable about many things in our communities and beyond.
We have fun working on our service projects as well. My club, for example, holds a car show, a concert series, an auction, a day of winter fun for kids and families called "Winter Fest" and we sell Christmas Trees. We also have a slew of programs in the schools that help kids of all ages in a variety of ways. The money we raise through our various efforts supports those in need in our community and helps knit the community together. We work with other community groups to maximize all of our efforts.
The key is to love what you do, help others and have fun doing it. That's exactly what we do.
If you're interested in joining us, and being "of service," let me know. Or, like I said earlier, find your local club and tell them I sent you. When I said "International" it really is. Rotarian's everywhere welcome other visiting Rotarian's. It's a family of sorts - kind of like the TV Show Cheers - we may not all know your name, but we will sure welcome you like you've belonged here all along!
I'll close this blog like I would close my own club meeting (yes, I'm club President of Bow Rotary until June 30, 2015) with a toast to Rotary the World Over!