121 YEARS OF ROTARY!
121 YEARS OF ROTARY!
121 YEARS OF ROTARY!
On February 23rd 1905, four men got together in Chicago for friendship.
From that initial meeting, the idea of Paul Harris, a lawyer from Wisconsin who had settled in Chicago and was desperately lonely, Rotary was born!
His three acquaintances that fateful evening were Gus Loehr (a mining engineer), Silvester Schiele (a coal merchant) and Hiram Shorey (a tailor) - men from ordinary walks of life.
Paul had developed the idea of forming a club where members not only could enjoy fellowship with each other, but might also be useful in helping the community and their fellow citizens.
Today, Rotary is one of the largest humanitarian membership organisations in the world, with 1.2 million members in almost 200 countries around the globe!
Its charitable organisation, The Rotary Foundation, is consistently seen as one of the finest and most trustworthy charities in the world!
Each year, 34,000 Rotary clubs carry out numerous projects to help others…and still provide friendship and fellowship for many, many members!
If you would like to make friends while helping others then why not join us!
Email membership@edinburghrotary.org for more details.
Contact Gordon Young about this page:
'What We Do' Main Pages:
2024 Annual Gathering of the six European Rotary Contact Clubs of Barcelona Diagonal, Lausanne, Lyon, Stuttgart, Torino Doro and Edinburgh in Edinburgh over the weekend of 27 - 29 September.
more
Next visit to Four Square Park Cafe, Saughton Park, 7th March 2026, for a short walk and coffee.. More details below.
more
The Club has been supporting the David School in Sierra Leone through visits and funding for several years. The latest Messenger can be downloaded below.
moreThe Rotary Club of Edinburgh Constitution can be accessed here.
more
An Autumn 2022 update on the activities of the Contact Clubs can be found by clicking on the button below.
more
Twenty-two of us turned up at the 4Square Cafe at Saughton Park at 10.30am on Saturday and enjoyed lovely chatting and fellowship at our monthly Coffee Club! Before that, at 9.45am, eight hardy individuals went for a walk up the Water of Leith!
more
Yes, we help lots of people through voluntary work and funding (last year we aided 28 different charities and individuals!), but Rotary is all about friendship! Be part of one of the world’s largest membership organisations! Join us!
more
Are you interested in finding more about Rotary or in joining the Rotary Club of Edinburgh? Find out more below:
moreArts and Book Groups
more
