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.
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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
In 1995 a motion was presented to the Sydney Rotary Club to change its meeting time from lunch hour to early morning. The motion was defeated by a substantial margin. Following this decision David Muise and Brian Beckett, the Rotarians who had presented the motion, resolved to start a new breakfast club. Past District Governor Stuart MacLeod consistently maintained that Sydney was big enough to support two clubs ( he also believed that woman should not be admitted so that “ Rotary remain pure!”) David and Brian set out to prove Stuart right, at least about the two club part.
Uncertain as to how to begin, David followed Brian’s advice and “called a bloody meeting .” Thursday at 7:30am was picked as the meeting time and a letter was surreptitiously circulated at the next meeting of Sydney Rotary. The first meeting of the fledgling club was held at the Cape Bretoner Motel in the early fall and was attended by seven members of the Sydney club. At the next meeting the first new recruit, Peter Weaver, was introduced thereby earning Peter the honour of being the first true Sunriser.
The District Governor at the time was Lloyd Osmond of the Rotary Club of St. John’s, Newfoundland. He was contacted and quickly approved the notion of a new club. David Muise was appointed the Governor’s representative to complete the application and forward it to Rotary International, provided that at least 24 members could be signed up.
Meetings continued into the winter and resulted in a total of 32 members signing the application. This number consisted of 13 members of the Sydney Club, two former Rotarians, and 17 new recruits. During this period we referred to ourselves as “the fastest growing Rotary Club in Canada!” The application was sent to Governor Osmond for his approval and then to RI who issued the Club Charter in February, 1996. A Charter Night Dinner was held at the Holiday Inn with DG Lloyd in attendance. Charter President Brian Beckett accepted the official documents on behalf of the club and we were on our way as a member of the worldwide brother/sisterhood of Rotary.
Interesting Facts
Charter President Brian Beckett served for 18 months rather than the usual 12
The back of the Charter is signed by the original members - the “7" indicating the
first members
The bell was purchased by Past District Governors Stuart MacLeod, John Abbass and Don Blackwood
Meeting locations - Holiday Inn, Horizon Achievement Centre, Membertou Trade and Convention Centre, Meridian Motel, Cape Bretoner Hotel
The club has never been “pure”
The original meal cost - $2 - original meal - tea/coffee and muffins
The first Christmas party was at 7:30 am but there was entertainment - Calvin LeDrew played the piano
Sunriser John Terry has been a Rotarian for over 50 years!
The Holiday Inn paid for the “Rotary Meets Here” sign
Our first club banner contained the wrong district number
Rotarian Brian Beckett coined the name ‘Sydney-Sunrise”
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