[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 13462]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING THE ROTARY CLUB OF JOLIET

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BILL FOSTER

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 11, 2013

  Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Rotary Club 
of Joliet for selflessly working for 100 years to improve communities 
in Illinois. The organization's motto of ``Service Above Self'' 
inspires its members to provide humanitarian service, encourage high 
ethical standards, and promote good will in the world. The Joliet 
Rotary Club has over 130 members and is part of Rotary International. 
It was established in 1910 as the Study Club, and it became the first 
Rotary club in a city with less than 75,000 residents.
  Joliet Rotarians learned the best practices of service, and went on 
to help establish new Rotary clubs in surrounding communities over the 
next decades. They participated in the foundation of the Joliet Chamber 
of Commerce, the conservation of Higginbotham Woods, and collecting 
shoes and supplies for World War I soldiers. They have always been 
instrumental in providing financial assistance for groups and 
foundations in their call to community service.
  The Guiding Principles of Rotary capture important and admirable 
values for our community. The principles state: ``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: first, the 
development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service; second, high 
ethical standards in business and professions, the recognition of the 
worthiness of all useful occupations, and the dignifying of each 
Rotarian's occupation as an opportunity to serve society; third, the 
application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, 
business and community life; fourth, the advancement of international 
understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world of fellowship of 
business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.''
  Rotary International founder Paul P. Harris said it best, ``Rotary 
brings men differing in social status, religious beliefs and 
nationality together in order that they may be more intelligible to 
each other and therefore more sympathetic and friendly.'' If we all 
follow this model, we will leave our community and our world a much 
better place.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the 
Rotary Club of Joliet, not only for its longevity, but also for its 
dedication to service of our fellow man. I commend the club's continued 
dedication to making the world around us a better place for all.

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