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About Us

Motto

"Service above Self"

A One-Sentence Definition of Rotary

"An organization of business and professional persons united worldwide, who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help build goodwill and peace in the world."

The Object of Rotary

The object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:

  1. The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;
  2. High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying by each Rotarian of his occupation as an opportunity to serve society;
  3. The application of the ideal of service by every Rotarian to his personal, business, and community life;
  4. The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world of fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.

The Four-Way Test

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 FRIENDSHIPS?
  4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

Membership

Fifteen charter members founded the club in 1916, only 11 years after the first Rotary Club was organized in Chicago. As of June 2011, membership stood at over 310. We are one of 32,066 Rotary clubs worldwide, 49th largest in the world, and largest in Michigan.

Meetings

Meetings are held every Wednesday in the Anderson Room of the Michigan Union. There are no meetings the week of Art Fair and the weeks of Christmas and New Year's. Buffet luncheon begins at 11:45 am with option to purchase only a beverage; soup, & salad; or the buffet consisting of salads, soup and beverage (milk, iced tea, coffee). At 12:30 pm, the business portion of the meeting starts. "Business" includes an invocation, introduction of guests and visiting Rotarians, songs, update of the "news at noon," occasional jokes and/or "thought for the day," and sometimes a focus on a community project/program that the club has supported financially. Weekly guest speakers begin no later than 1:00 pm with the program ending at 1:30 pm. Speakers are top notch! Opportunity provided for Q & A.

Attendance

Yes, this is taken seriously. Attendance level below 50% is considered unacceptable. Procedures are in place to apply for a leave of absence should a member find himself/herself temporarily unable to comply with minimum attendance standards. Make-up attendance at any of the 32,066 Rotary clubs worldwide is encouraged!

Money

Club dues of $240 are billed in June ($200 for members over 70), and a $170 Community Services Assessment billed in December of each year. In 1986, our 70th Anniversary, the club established the endowment with $70,000 raised as the initial corpus. As of June 30, 2011, assets and bequests total over $1,000,000. The purpose of the endowment is to improve the quality of life in the Ann Arbor area by providing funds to community groups and scholarships to deserving students.

Governance & Committees

Committees include Program, Attendance/Invocation, Music, Community Spotlight, Club Directory, Membership Development, Vocational Service, International Service, Special Events, Harpoon, Public Relations, Bowling, Social, History, and Community Service. Join a committee or committees as soon as you can - it's a great way to meet members and really feel a part of the Club. Yearly, the Club elects four officers (president, vice- president, secretary, treasurer). The immediate past president also serves on the Board. The vice-president serves as president in the succeeding year.

Social Events:

Annual Spring party for members and their spouses/significant others. One occasion, there are outings to the Performance Network. The Huron High School Choir entertains members and guests at a meeting in the spring. One of the December meetings is a holiday luncheon in the Michigan Union Ballroom where the Pioneer High School choir entertains members and guests.

What is?

Helpful Definitions

  1. Rotary motto/slogan: "Service above Self" and "He Profits Most Who Serves Best"
  2. Rotary Four-Way Test:1) Is it the truth? 2) Is it Fair to all concerned? 3) Will it build goodwill and better friendships? 4) Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
  3. Paul Harris Fellow: An individual who contributes, or in whose honor or memory there is contributed, a gift of $1,000 to the Rotary International Foundation. Named after Paul Harris the founder of Rotary.
  4. Rotary: a one sentence definition: Rotary is an organization of business and professional persons united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.
  5. The Four Avenues of Service: These are Rotary’s philosophical cornerstone and the foundation of club activity. They are Club Service, Vocational Service, Community Service and International Service.