Eureka Rotary - A Message from the Club President

Rotary is a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders that provides humanitarian service, encourages high ethical standards in all vocations, and helps build goodwill and peace in the world. Approximately 1.2 million Rotarians belong to more than 31,000 clubs located in 167 countries.

Rotary was formed on February 23, 1905 in Chicago. Founder Paul Harris and the original members rotated the meeting site from one member's business to another, leading to the name "Rotary". Clubs formed rapidly throughout the United States over the next decade. By 1921, Rotary Clubs were established on six continents.

The Rotary Club of Eureka is the oldest club in our North Coast Region. We were formed on October 10, 1923. Since that time we have sponsored several new clubs. Our membership numbers over 150 men and women who embrace the Rotary theme of "Service Above Self".

Rotary meetings provide an avenue of networking and fellowship among business and professional leaders in our local community. It also provides and opportunity to respond to the needs of other people on both international and local levels.

Through our network of clubs, major international projects have taken place. In 1985, Rotary made a historic commitment to immunize all of the world's children against Polio. Since that time Rotarians have mobilized hundreds of thousands of PolioPlus volunteers and have immunized more than one billion children worldwide. Many other projects undertaken have focused on clean water, hunger, and literacy. The Rotary Club of Eureka has provided funding through Matching Grant programs to many areas of the world including India, Africa, and Mexico. In addition, our club has responded to disaster needs such as the tsunami in Southeast Asia and the hurricane(s) in the southern United States. These connections with other clubs and projects outside of our area help foster understanding the goodwill.

The Rotary Club of Eureka has responded to many of the needs locally also. After all, this is where we live. Of special interest and emphasis is youth. Several of our projects have involved upgrades to soccer and softball fields including our centennial project of restrooms and snack bar facilities at Washington School. In prior years, the Humboldt Room at the County Library was made possible by donations from our members. This past summer we sponsored the Summer Reading Program for children at the Library. Our major project this year will be the Sealants & Smile dental program. This program will provide effective preventative treatment to tooth decay, by placing a sealant on childrens' back teath. The focus will be children of low income families.

To learn more about the Rotary Club of Eureka, please visit other areas of the website, contact members or myself, or write to: P.O. Box 65, Eureka, CA 95502.

Yours in Rotary,

Mike Moreland