Rotary History

Rotary is one of the oldest and largest service organizations in the world.  It consists of business and professional leaders who provide humanitarian services, encourages high ethical standards in all vocations, and helps build goodwill and peace in the world. The world's first service club, The Rotary Club of Chicago, Illinois, USA, was formed on February 23, 1905 by Paul P. Harris.  Paul, an attorney, wished to recapture in a professional club the same friendly spirit he had felt in the small towns of his youth. The name "Rotary" derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among members' offices.

Rotary's popularity spread throughout the United States in the decade that followed; clubs were chartered from San Francisco to New York. By 1921, Rotary clubs had been formed on six continents, and the organization adopted the name Rotary International a year later.  Approximately 1.2 million Rotarians belong to more than 32,000 clubs around the world who subscribe to the individual motto “Service Above Self” and an organizational commitment to promoting “World Peace Through Understanding.”

Internationally, Rotary sponsors exchange programs and thousands of projects which provide food, water and medical supplies. One of Rotary's greatest achievements is its 1985 commitment to worldwide eradication of Polio.  By the 2005 target date for certification of a polio-free world, Rotary has already contributed half a billion dollars to the cause.

The Rotary Club of North Penn, Pennsylvania has a history extending back to 1924 for the Lansdale Club and 1926 for the North Wales Club.  The Lansdale and North Wales Clubs merged on July 1, 1997, creating a stronger organization.

Through the years, The Rotary Club of North Penn has been involved in a variety of fundraising and community events, which support international and national causes as well as local community programs.  Some of these include:  Rotary Youth Exchange; Rotary Youth Leadership Training; and college scholarships, which are determined by academic achievement and community service performed.  In celebration of Rotary International’s Centennial in 2005, the Rotary Club of North Penn raised funds to build a quarter of a million dollar, state-of-the-art, Band Shell at Whites Road Park.  The Band Shell, which opened late September 2005, is now the home to local musicians and theater groups, providing cultural and artistic programs to enrich the lives of residents of the North Penn Community. 

The Rotary Club of North Penn’s major fundraiser is the annual outdoor Lansdale Day celebration on Main Street, downtown Lansdale, PA.  The proceeds from this event are given to local charities in the North Penn community.  This old-fashioned community project has always been successful, usually with an attendance in excess of 10,000.  We have lots of delectable food, great music, entertainment and fun activities in three staging areas, a community market place, and an ANTIQUES & ARTS FESTIVAL - a juried invitational showcase of fine artists, selected artisans and antique dealers.