ROTARY IS ................ .................

Let’s try to put it in the words.

What is “ROTARY”………………………………………….?

In the home…..it is kindness;

In business…..it is honesty;

In society….it is courtesy;

In play…..it is fairness;

In the community…..it is service.

In international relations….it is sympathetic understanding and goodwill

Towards the fortunate…..it is congratulations;

Towards the unfortunate…..it is compassion;

Towards the weak…..it is help;

Towards the penitent…..it is forgiveness;

Towards GOD…..it is reverence and love;

In Rotary club…..it is co-operation and fellowship.

OBJECT OF ROTARY

The statement which comes from RI constitution is as below.

The object of Rotary is “to encourage and foster the ideal of service as basis of worthy enterprise.”

The statement then lists four areas by which this “ideal of service” is fostered.

1. The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service.
2. High ethical standards in Business and Professions, the recognition of worthiness of all useful occupations, and dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to
Serve the society.
3. The application of ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business and community life.
4. The advancement of International understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.

The Objects of Rotary has not always been expressed in this manner.

The original constitution of 1906 had three objects.

By 1910, Rotary had five objects, By 1915, there were six objects. Finally in 1935, at the Maxico City Convention the six objects were restated and reduced to four. The last major change came in 1951 when the objects were streamlined to a single object with four parts.

The Four-Way Test

One of the most widely quoted statement of business ethics in the world is The Four-Way Test.
It was created by Rotarian Herberr J Taylor in 1932 when he was asked to take charge of the Chicago based club Aluminum company which was facing bankruptcy. He became President of Rotary International in 1954-55. The Four-Way Test adopted by Rotary in 1943 and has been translated in more than 100 languages and published in thousands of ways.

All of you being a new entrant in the Rotary world the massage through The Four-Way Test should be known and followed.

Of the things we think, say or do :

1. Is it the TRUTH.?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned.?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIP.?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned. ?

Avenues of Service

The five Avenues of Service support the Object of Rotary :

1. Club Service,

2. Vocational Service,

3. Community Service,

4. International Service

5. Youth Service.

Although the Avenues of Service are not listed in the constitutional document of Rotary, all Rotarians use this concept to describe the primary areas of Rotary activities.

1. Club Service – involves all the necessary activities Rotarians perform to make their club function successfully
2. Vocational Service – describe the opportunity each Rotarian has to represent the dignity and value for his or her vocation
3. Community Service – pertains to those activities that Rotarians undertake to improve the quality of life in their community. Community look to Rotary as a source of hope for a better life.
4. International Service – describes the many programs and activities that Rotarians undertake to advance international understanding, goodwill and peace.
5. Youth Service – Recognizes the positive change implemented by youth and young adults through leadership development activities, involvement in community and international service projects and exchange programs that enrich and foster world peace and cultural understanding.

When a Rotarian understands and travels down the five Avenues of Service, the Object of Rotary takes on even greater meaning.