RI begins centennial planning

(This page contains plans by Rotary International for the Centennial Celebration)

Source: www.rotary.org 

	The original four Rotarians: (left to right) Gustavus E. Loehr, Silvester Schiele, Hiram E. Shorey, and founder Paul P. Harris.

As Rotary's 100th birthday on 23 February 2005 draws closer, RI has begun planning ways to use this milestone in Rotary Global History as a vehicle for engendering pride in membership and promoting public awareness of the organization's many achievements. A centennial celebration implementation plan approved by the RI Board calls for a three-tiered approach to observances at the club, district, and international levels.

The recommendations for specific actions to be undertaken include appointing club and district centennial planning committees each year beginning in 2001-02; planning and implementing a club centennial community project; organizing special celebrations on 23 February 2005 and at each district conference during the centennial year; and holding club-level seminars for all members on the history and achievements of Rotary.

At the international level, RI is developing an appropriate lasting memorial commemorating the centennial to be located in Chicago, Illinois, USA, Rotary's birthplace. Other plans include sponsoring a worldwide contest to select a centennial logo and creating a Centennial Celebration PR Kit for use by clubs and districts.

In addition to giving the centennial wide coverage in all Rotary media, RI will produce a special centennial book on Rotary's history that will be introduced at the 2004 International Convention and sold throughout the 2005 centennial year.

February 2000 meeting

The fourth meeting of the Board of Directors of RI in 1999-00 was held at One Rotary Center in Evanston, Illinois, USA, on 14-17 February 2000. At this meeting, the Board reviewed reports from 12 committees and recorded 105 decisions.

The Board agreed that 1 July 2004 through 30 June 2005 shall be designated as the official dates of RI’s centennial year, and that the organization’s efforts shall focus on two important dates: Wednesday, 23 February 2005, the 100th birthday of Rotary, and the international convention to be held 19-22 June 2005 in Chicago, Illinois, the birthplace of Rotary.

Board decision highlights

The fourth meeting of the 2000-01 RI Board of Directors was held at One Rotary Center in Evanston, Ill., USA, from 10-15 February 2001. At this meeting, the Board reviewed reports from 12 committees and recorded 98 decisions.

The Board made several decisions in preparation for the celebration of Rotary's centennial in 2005. To bolster its efforts to ensure a fitting celebration, the Board agreed to submit a resolution to the 2001 Council on Legislation calling for a "comprehensive recognition of the 100th birthday of Rotary."

U.S. Rotarian will author Rotary's Centennial History

David Forward

David C. Forward, a professional writer and Rotarian from Medford, New Jersey, U.S.A., has been selected to write the Centennial History. The official history will be introduced at the 2004 Convention of Rotary International and sold throughout the 2005 centennial year and beyond.

Charles C. Keller, past R.I. president and chairman of the Centennial History Committee, announced Rotarian Forward's selection. The committee is composed of 15 Rotarians from 11 countries.

"Our selection of David Forward was unanimous," said Chairman Keller. "We were seeking a professional writer with good historical credentials and broad Rotary experience. We believe David has the attitude, the skill and the intellectual stamina to complete this monumental project, telling the dramatic story of Rotary in a readable and scholarly manner."

David was chosen from a field of 75 applicants from 14 nations. This was narrowed to six persons who were interviewed in Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A., by a committee panel.

The British-born Rotarian travels widely, writing about the airline industry and giving seminars on volunteerism, communication skills and management development. He has written three books, one called "Heroes After Hours: Extraordinary Examples of Employee Volunteerism."

David is a 21-year Rotarian with a perfect attendance record and has served three terms as a club president. At the district level he has served as chairman of the PolioPlus Campaign for R.I. District 7640-which raised more than $l million-and on membership development, club service, community service and international service committees. He was organizing chairman of a district conference and has received The Rotary Foundation's Citation for Meritorious Service.

At the international level, Rotarian Forward has initiated several Rotary-supported humanitarian projects taking relief to victims of natural disasters, the civil war in Beirut, Lebanon, and Romania's orphans. Over seven years, he made 10 trips to Romania helping to build an orphanage and a free clinic, and taking 30 to 40 volunteers with him each time.

Looking to his research and writing assignment ahead, he says: "Even as it approaches its 100th anniversary, Rotary remains one of humankind's best-kept secrets. I have made the study of its history a personal passion and believe I can combine that passion with my proven track record as a research-driven writer to tell Rotary's proud past. But dwelling on the past is not enough. We should use the past and the present to inspire pride and action into today's Rotarians and use our past as a springboard to tomorrow."

The contents of this project have been researched, collected, compiled and written by hundreds of Rotarians from around the world to preserve the history and underlying philosophies of Rotary. This project is not affiliated with Rotary International, but enjoys the support of individual Rotarians, clubs, districts and zones all over the globe.