Rotary Club of Sterling
Rotary started in 1905 with the vision of one man — Paul Harris. The first meeting was held on February 23, 1905, so four professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships. Their meetings were rotated between each business and the name Rotary was adopted. In 1987, women in the U.S. were allowed membership into the organization.
Over time, Rotary’s reach and vision gradually extended to humanitarian service. In 1979, Rotary began aproject to immunize 6 million children against polio in the Philippines. The effort’s success led to Rotary making polio eradication its top priority and their goal of ridding the earth of this crippling disease is in sight. Today, Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only two countries where polio remains endemic — down from 125 countries in 1988.
Today, Rotary is a global network of 1.4 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem solvers, known as Rotarians, who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change — across the globe, in their communities, and in themselves. Today 46,000+ clubs work together to fight disease, promote peace, provide clean water, sanitation, and hygiene, save mothers and children, support education, grow the economy, and protect the environment.
In 1920 businessmen in Sterling, Colo., decided to start a Rotary club, and the Rotary Club of Sterling, Colorado was chartered May 1, 1920. Its first President was Dr. Naugle and in 1988, the Sterling Rotary club elected its first female president, Marcia Luce. The Sterling club is part of district 5440 which covers Northern Colorado, Western Nebraska, Eastern Idaho, and Wyoming. There are 55 clubs in their district with over 3000 members.
The members of the Sterling Rotary club are people of action that reach their goals through their Rotary motto, “Service Above Self”. One of their members has participated in three National Immunization Days, one in India and two in Mexico, and describes it as an “unbelievable experience”. The club has supported international projects to help women and children, supported projects for clean water and sanitation, contributed to the fight against polio, and provide shelter for people in areas hit by disaster.
Locally, they give scholarships to local students so they can continue their education, send youth to leadership camps, participate in local service projects, and partner with the Elks to give dictionaries to third graders. They have helped beautify downtown Sterling with statues and donated to the Sterling Community Fund to continue giving back to the community, both now and in the future. Sterling is a great community, and they thank them for supporting all their community projects.
If you have a passion to serve, they invite you to join them. Visit their Facebook page www.facebook.com/Rotaryofsterling and take a look at what the Rotary Club of Sterling is doing.
Please join the Logan County Chamber of Commerce in congratulating Rotary Club of Sterling as this week’s Member of the Week and tying our Community together!