[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 16 (Tuesday, February 15, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E242]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING MICHIGAN ROTARIANS ON 100TH ANNIVERSARY

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                       HON. THADDEUS G. McCOTTER

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 15, 2005

  Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor the 
thousands of Michigan Rotarians as they celebrate the 100th anniversary 
of the founding of Rotary, the world's first service club.
  On February 23, 1905, The Rotary Club of Chicago was established by 
Paul Harris, an attorney who wished to recapture through a professional 
club the same friendly, small town spirit he experienced in his youth. 
Finding like-minded committed individuals, over time the organization 
was called the Rotary, because of the club's early practice of rotating 
meetings among members' offices.
  From this humble but hearty beginning, Rotary's popularity burgeoned 
and clubs were formed from New York to San Francisco. By 1922 the 
organization began to expand outside of the United States, and so it 
adopted the name Rotary International to evidence its member clubs on 
six continents.
  Throughout the years the organization has been remarkable for ``doing 
good in the world.'' For example in 1985, Rotarians made a commitment 
to immunize all of the world's children against polio. Today, 
contributions to the Rotary Foundation total more than $80 million 
annually and support a wide range of humanitarian grants and 
educational programs; and Rotarians have mobilized hundreds of 
thousands of volunteers and have immunized more than one billion 
children worldwide. In point of fact, by the end of 2005 Rotary will 
have contributed close to $500 million to this cause alone.
  Mr. Speaker, for 100 years Rotary has striven to meet the challenges 
of a changing world, including such pressing issues as environmental 
degradation, illiteracy, world hunger, and at risk children. Let us 
then pause our own hectic pace and honor Rotarians for bringing hope 
and help to all humanity.

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