The Rotary Club of Turlock is one of thousands of local Rotary clubs around the world — all of whom are part of Rotary International. We are a service organization whose purpose is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service and to advance goodwill and peace around the world. We welcome members of all political persuasions, all religious beliefs, all ethnic groups and all races. We believe in service above self.
The first Rotary Club was formed in Chicago in 1905 by an attorney, Paul Harris. It included four members. The members chose the name Rotary because initially they rotated their weekly club meetings at each other's offices. However, within a year the club became so large that it was necessary to have a regular meeting place. Soon other clubs were developed.
In 1922 the organization was named Rotary International as more and more clubs around the United States, Canada and Europe joined. Over the years, clubs from all over the world joined. Now there are over 35,000 local clubs with more than 1,200,000 individual members in over 200 different countries. Inidivudal members are members of their specific local club. Only the club itself is a member of Rotary International. However, any Rotarian is welcome and encouraged to attend a meeting of any other club in the world as a guest.
Each club selects its own members and determines exactly how it will operate within the expecations and rules of Rotary International. This includes who serves as officers and what service projects it will pursue. Membership is by invitation from a current Rotarian to professionals or business leaders. The goal of clubs is to promote service to their own community, as well as to the international projects around the world.
Rotary International has organized billions of dollars worth of humanitarian projects around the world including eradicating polio, providing clean water, medical & dental clinics, fighting disease, youth exchanges, and scholarships. Our club has contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years to the Rotary Foundation to help finance those international programs.
In addition, the Rotary Club of Turlock contributes tens of thousands of dollars annually to local community projects including scholarships, Turlock Chaplaincy, Salvation Army, Jessica's House, the Homeless Shelter and the Carnegie Arts Center. We have also sponsored our own international projects including supplies and eye examinations for a school in rural Mexico, water filtration devices in the Dominican Republic, and supplies and clothing for a school in Afghanistan. We also honor Students of the Month from all high schools in the area as well as Teachers of the Year from all local schools.
Most clubs have a regularly scheduled weekly meeting, usually including breakfast, lunch or dinner — depending upon the time of day for their meeting. The Rotary Club of Turlock meets each Tuesday at noon at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds. Our members come to enjoy lunch with their friends, contirbute some money, listen to an ineresting outside speaker, and plan how we can provide continued humanitarian services both locally and internationally.