Mayor Debra Button signed a declaration in her office on February 10, proclaiming February 23, 2012 as Rotary Day in Weyburn. She encourages all citizens to join her in recognizing Rotary International for contributing more than 105 years of service in improving the human condition in local communities around the world.
The first Rotary Club meeting was held on February 23, 1905 in Chicago, Illinois. Four men met to discuss their personal experiences. Paul Harris, co-founder of what is touted as the world's first service club, wished to capture the same friendly spirit he had felt in the small towns of his youth. The Rotary name originated in the club's early practices of rotating meetings among members' offices.
Rotary is now a global network of community volunteers and is one of the largest and most influential international humanitarian service organizations worldwide. More than 1.2 million members belong to 33,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.
Rotary members, as volunteers, conduct projects to address today's humanitarian concerns, including illiteracy, disease, hunger, poverty, lack of clean water and other environmental issues. Rotarians have encouraged high standards in all vocations. Rotary members strive to build good will and peace.
The Rotary Club Weyburn held its inaugural meeting on February 18 if 1920, when 21 charter members were approved and officers were elected. The Rotary Club of Weyburn currently has 50 members and some of the local projects it is involved with include the Triple C Centre, the Weyburn & District Hospital Foundation, Tatagwa Parkway, WCS dinner theatre, Music Festival, Salvation Army Adopt a Family, MS Walk, Adopt a Highway, Youth Exchange Program and The Congo Project.
The Rotary Club of Weyburn joins Rotary clubs worldwide in recognizing February 23 as "World Understanding and Peace Day".
