ROTARY’S CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY

By Glenn E. Estess Snr

President, Rotary International

 

It is my pleasure to speak to you on the topic of Rotary's Centennial Anniversary.

 

Any anniversary — whether it marks a birthday, a wedding, or the founding of an organization — is a time for reflection. We take a moment in the present time to reflect upon the past and plan for the future.

 

It is in that spirit of reflection that I would like to share a few words that always make me think — something that my friend, Past President Bob Barth from Switzerland said about a Rotary lapel pin. He said that the pin should say this about the wearer:

 

• You can rely on me

• I am dependable

• I am reliable

• I give more than I take

• I am available

 

All of these are statements that should apply to each of us as we wear our pin with pride.

 

We are especially proud to wear that pin as we celebrate our Centennial anniversary.

 

Rotary's 100th year offers many opportunities for service and we are excited to be a part of that.

 

Rotary's Centennial Celebration is largely a grassroots effort - and we need the involvement of every club and every district to make the most of this important anniversary.

 

On a cold February evening nearly one hundred years ago, four men gathered in a Chicago mining engineer's office. Paul Harris, Silvester Schiele, Gustavus Loehr and Hiram Shorey didn't think that one century later, 31,000 clubs in 166 countries would be meeting every week. And they certainly didn't think that they were launching a movement that would capture the hearts and minds of so many.

 

They only knew that they needed more friends in their lives — and they took a simple action toward that goal.

 

We are now approaching the 100th anniversary of their action — a simple meeting between four businessmen.

 

And when we celebrate all of the wonderful things that have happened as a result of that action, I am asking all Rotarians to Lend a Hand to Celebrate Rotary -

• By strengthening our community bonds with Centennial Community Projects,

• By strengthening our International bonds with the Twin Clubs Program,

• By achieving our Centennial Goals for PolioPlus, membership growth and "Every Rotarian, Every Year,"

• And most of all, by performing countless acts of service - in our clubs, our vocations, our communities, and our world.

 

My friends, by sharing Rotary with others in fellowship and service we will Celebrate a Century of Service, Celebrate a New Century of Success and most of all — Celebrate Rotary!

  

About the author: Glenn E. Estess, Sr. is President of Rotary International for its Centennial year of 2004-2005. A Rotarian since 1960, Glenn was a member first in club #41 at Jacksonville, Florida (USA), and then Wayne, New Jersey (USA). Glenn is a Rotary Foundation Major Donor, a Paul Harris Fellow, and a Benefactor. He is the recipient of the Citation for Meritorious Service, the Service Above Self Award, and The Rotary Foundation's Distinguished Service Award. Glenn and his wife Mary have three children and eight grandchildren. Sixteen members of his family are Paul Harris Fellows.