Rotary Members Sarah Johnston of Pender, Nick Taylor of Sechelt, President Bob Cotter of Gibsons and President Michael McKenzie of Sunshine Coast Rotary Clubs prepare to cut the cake in celebration of Rotary's 120th Birthday.
On February 23, 1905, attorney Paul Harris and three friends met at the Unity Building in Chicago and founded a global network based on kindness, service and friendship. More joined this humanitarian effort compelled by his vision where Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change — across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves. “Whatever Rotary may mean to us, to the world, it will be known by the results it achieves.” – Paul Harris.
Now, 120 years later, with 1.2 million members, Rotary has invested over $3 billion in thousands of projects worldwide. This day, also known as World Understanding and Peace Day, celebrates the service of members and friends who come together in the name of peace and goodwill in areas of health, sustainability, education, the environment and alleviating poverty, to name a few.
Rotary members have reached into the world's most remote areas in their mission to eradicate polio, establishing and maintaining vaccine initiatives that have saved the lives of millions. It has been an impressive journey of accessing communities, usually on foot, while keeping paper-based maternal and child health information records. In 2018, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative issued over 5000 cell phones to volunteers administering vaccinations and to those participating in other health initiatives to assist with data monitoring. Volunteers continue this fight to eradicate polio, servicing the current endemic countries and in other countries where outbreaks have been reported. In recent news, Rotary is working with the WHO to continue a vaccination campaign in the Gaza Strip.
Rotary initiatives worldwide inspire Rotary members who participate on the front lines and behind the scenes by finding ways to help at a distance, whether through donations of money, machinery, educational supplies or water systems, again to name a few. It brings us a sense of unmatched joy.
It is also what Rotary members do for our local communities that stand out in our hearts and minds.
Within 48 hours of the Lytton, BC, wildfire devastating the homes and businesses of the entire community, three Rotary districts joined together and, with the aid of donations, gave out retail, grocery and gas cards to assist those displaced. Closer to our home, Gibsons, Sechelt, Pender, and Sunshine Coast Rotary clubs have served our community in many ways.
While you walk along the shorelines, trails or playgrounds in our communities, you may find life-saving Automated External Defibrillators (AED) installed nearby to assist in any related emergency. Or, driving down a street at night, you may see Rotary High Visibility House Number Signs illuminating from your headlights, guiding you home. From the creation of Friendship Park in Sechelt to annual herring spawning projects, to our annual Dad n Me Dance, to the building of a gazebo at the Jane Bowers Off-Leash Dog Park, to the resurfacing of the Sechelt Rotary Skate Park and to the Annual Volunteer Fair coming again soon, and to fundraising events like our annual Whisky Tasting, Rotary, in each of our communities have so very much to celebrate these 120 years.
Happy 120th Birthday, Rotary.
May we all embrace this World Understanding and Peace Day within the spirit of Paul Harris and every Rotary member and friend, past and present, who lives embracing the idea of Service Above Self.
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