About Rotary - What Is Rotary?

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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 the 1980s, Rotarians raised US$240 million to immunize the children of the world; by 2005, Rotary's centenary year and the target date for the certification of a polio-free world, the PolioPlus program will have contributed US$500 million to this cause. In addition, Rotary has provided an army of volunteers to promote and assist at national immunization days in polio-endemic countries around the world.

Find out more about Rotary by visiting the Rotary International web site. 

Information on this page came from:

The About Rotary and the RI Programs pages on the Rotary International web site

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SYDNEY-SUNRISE ROTARY CLUB

 

 

OUR HISTORY

 

The Sydney Sunrise Rotary Club was formed in 1995 as a Thursday breakfast meeting club. We were initially comprised of some members of the lunchtime Sydney Rotary Club, some former Rotarians and new recruits to Rotary.

 

Our new breakfast club achieved a membership of 32 members in our first winter of existence and was presented with our charter in February of 1996.

 

At that time, the Sydney Sunrise Rotary Club became a member of the world-wide brotherhood and sisterhood of Rotary.

 

The club’s first meeting place was at the Cape Bretoner Motel on King’s Road. Our meeting venue changed location a few times over the years, but for the past several years we have met at the Quality Inn on King’s Road.

 

Although the number of members has fluctuated over the years, a strong, dedicated core from the early years remains. Currently our membership hovers around the 26 member mark.

 

A relaxed and welcoming atmosphere exists at our weekly meetings, but although not strictly formal, the club does function in a professional manner. We also enjoy several social activities during the year at which spouses, family members and friends are encouraged to participate.

 

Various organizations, charities, groups and individuals have benefited from the participation and support of the Sydney Sunrise Rotary Club.

 

To date over $125,000 has been raised for the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation.. We have also supported and continue to support such causes as Loaves and Fishes Food Bank, the Glace Bay Food Bank, New Dawn Guest Home, Highway Cleanup, Holy Angels Interact Club, Holy Angels scholarship fund, and more.

 

Other projects include support for medical excursions to South America and Africa, a well in Africa, a school for Haitian children in the Dominican Republic, as well as international student exchanges.

 

Although proud of our short but successful history, the Sydney Sunrise Rotary Club continues to plan for the future, with a strategic plan which guides us and is reviewed and updated on a yearly basis.