Rotary Club Sf. Gheorghe Club nr. 54444; District 2441 Romania-Moldova

Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide, who:

• - provide humanitarian service
• - apply high ethical standards in all vocations
• - improve goodwill and worldwide peace

In 1905 in USA Chicago, lawyer Paul Harris with three other businessmen, Silvester Schiele, coal merchant, Gustavus Loehr, a mining engineer and Hiram Shorey, tailor, established a group that was based on a total openness and sincerity between its members, imposing from the beginning a rule about patronage: no one should be favoured in any way. He called the new club “Rotary” because the members met in rotation in various business places.
The process of organizing was extremely simple, a fact that secured its existence until this day: the group of friends was expanded to a club, whose members are chosen on the basis of professionalism, the moral quality of social, family and business life.

In 1910 Paul Harris became the first president of the International Rotary, and since then the “one year president” theory was applied, even on the highest Rotarian level. Later, due to the increasing number of clubs, it was important to organize districts on the basis of geographical proximity which activity was coordinated by a governor.
Being an association of equals - each recognized on their own professional field of activity, people with a good nature and a remarkable reputation, working as outstanding professionals, local community leaders - Rotary promotes the idea of serving the public in profession and in society, giving a proof of integrity.
The club is led by a president who retains the position for one year, without the possibility of reelection.
Rotarians are required to attend regularly the weekly club meetings, having the opportunity to take part in the development of the community by club projects through financial means and through organizing support for the local community and to enable the committees in the four directions of action: internal, professional, local and international public interest.

The first emblem of the Rotary was a simple wagon wheel representing civilization and movement and was drawn in 1905 by Montague Bear.
In 1923 the current wheel was adopted with twenty-four blanks and six spokes.

Rotary Hymn

The mission of Rotary International is to assist and guide Rotarians and Rotary Clubs to accomplish the Rotary Objectives, having as motto the two fundamental principles that are quintessential at Rotary International:

• - “SERVICE ABOVE SELF” and
• - “HE PROFITS MOST WHO SERVES BEST”

The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the idea of service on the basis of efficient enterprise based on the four key principles:

• - The development of knowledge as an opportunity for service;
• - High ethical standards in business and professions as an opportunity to serve society;
• - The application of the ideal of service for each Rotarian's personal, business, and community life;
• - The promotion of understanding, goodwill and worldwide peace through professionals who are united in the ideal of service.

The Rotary program is based on the Test of the Four Ways of serving, thinking, saying and doing:

• - Is this the Truth?
• - Is it Just to all concerned?
• - Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
• - Will it be beneficial to all involved?

 Declaration of Rotarians - on the behavioral code in business and profession:

• - To consider my vocation as another opportunity to serve the community;
• - To be faithful to the laws of the country and the ethical and moral codes of the community and of my profession;
• - To do all in my power to promote and enhance the image and the ethical standards of my profession;
• - To be just to my employer, employees and to those with whom I have business or professional relationships;
• - To recognize the honour and respect due to all occupations which are useful to society;
• - To contribute to the improvement of life quality in the community I take part of;
• - To act with honesty in all public representations in terms of my business and my profession;
• - To seek no privileges or advantages in a business or professional relationship with a fellow Rotarian.

Membership: the Rotary Club accepts new members on the basis of an invitation and is based on the paradigm of the founder to choose one representative from each business, profession or community institution.

The principles of the qualification: normally, it is ensured that members of a club include an intersection of business and professional life of the community they belong to. Worldwide there are about 1.2 million Rotarians, members of the more than 33,000 Rotary clubs from 200 countries.

District 2241 - Romania and Republic of Moldova is the representative of Rotary International in this area.

Rotary in Romania
The first Rotary clubs in Romania were founded in 1929 in Timisoara and Bucharest. In 1936 “District 84 Romania” came into existence.
The establishment of the Rotary Club in Romania was initially due to the French District. The country had long standing educational and cultural relationship with France and, indeed, an impressive number of educated people from Romania studied in France.
Between 1929 and 1939 Romania’s population grew up to 20 million. From economic perspective Romania was advanced and once the Rotary established itself in Bucharest its membership was assured by an elite background. The Rotary Club conducted an educational activity and dealt with the health care of children, found jobs for sick or disabled young people.

In 1940 the dictatorial regime closed down the clubs and these were reopened only after the Revolution in 1989.

The Formation of the new District 2241
In 1992 with the support of the French Rotarians the Rotary Club Bucharest was reconstituted. Just like the first time it was immediately followed by clubs in Cluj and Timisoara so that in June 1996 thirteen clubs existed in Romania which took part of District 1160 from Paris.
On the 1^st of July, 1996 Romania overcomes a second barrier having been defined by Rotary International as “the Rotarian expansion” together with the Republic of Moldova.
Rotarian activities have brought in nearly six million dollars for Romania and the Republic of Moldova in six years, a right for which restoring the district status became an imperative.
On the 1^st of September, 1999 The Committee of Rotary International and President Carlo Ravizza decided that in Romania and in the Republic of Moldova Rotary clubs will have their own district with number 2241.