Club History - About Rotary
Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide, who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build good will and peace in the world. Rotary began on February 13, 1905. The name "Rotary" derived from the practice of rotating responsibility for programs at meetings among members of the club. Currently, Rotary International is composed of more that 1.2 million members in 31,000 clubs in more that 165 countries including China and Russia. Rotary is organized at club, district and international levels to carry out its program of service.
Rotary International projects worldwide make it the envy of other service organizations. Rotary was instrumental in the formation of the United Nations and still has a presence as an international adviser to the body. In 1998, because of Rotary's Polio Plan program, the number of reported cases of Poliomyelitis worldwide had been reduced to 800,000. Through Rotary's polio eradication efforts of immunization throughout the world there were only 1200 cases reported in 2001. Rotary now has established scholarships for Doctoral Degrees in Conflict Resolution. Graduates in this field will specialize in halting conflict between parties and countries before war and fighting breaks out.
The Rotary Foundation was created in 1928, largely funded by Paul Harris Fellows, named after Rotary's founder, "Fellows" are Rotarians who contribute US$1000, which can be done over a period of years. Contributions to the Rotary foundation now total more than US$141 million annually and support a whole range of humanitarian grants and educational programs, including scholarships for international study and exchange teams. An exchange team from District 6200 visits a foreign country for a month each year, and one from that country visits our district.
Rotary Club membership represents a cross-section of the community, and members are assigned classifications according to either the principal business or professional service of the organization that the Rotarian works for or the Rotarian's own activity within the organization. This practice ensures diversity of membership and provides a diverse pool of resources with which to successfully implement service projects.
Rotary meetings are built around programs, with members taking turns being responsible for providing speakers. Attendance is stressed, as it is not fair to invite a good speaker and have a poor attendance. If a member must miss a meeting, he is encouraged to "make up" with a different club. This exchange adds to the fellowship of meetings as well as boosting the visited club's attendance.
District 6200 comprises 23 parishes in south Louisiana and currently has 65 clubs, 22 Interact clubs (high schools) and 5 Rotaract clubs (colleges). The Pinhook Rotary Club was founded in 1957 with Dr. Frem Boustany as the first president. The club meets weekly on Mondays at noon at the Petroleum Club in the Oil Center.
We begin our meetings with Rotary's Four Way Test of the thing we think, say or do
- Is it the truth?
- Is it fair to all concerned?
- Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
- Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
We are always looking for good members. One cannot just join, an invitation must be extended. If you are interested in becoming a member, please mention it to your hosts.