How Rotary sets its wheel in motion

"Rotary is a vast machine"

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To Rotarians past and present, the Rotary wheel has evoked the image of a well-oiled, efficient machine, working for the service of mankind. "The gearwheel is truly emblematic of Rotary," wrote William E. Fulton, of the Rotary Club of Waterbury, Connecticut, in the March 1920 issue of The Rotarian. "The wheel must be symmetrical - well proportioned throughout and so well balanced that it shall run smooth and true. It is precisely that way with the Rotarian. We do not think of a gearwheel as standing by itself. It has a companion gear.and stands for comradeship."

The Rev. E.K. Means of the Rotary Club of Monroe, Louisiana, used the same imagery in an editorial published later that year. "Rotary is a vast machine and every club a wheel. I firmly believe that all the great machinery of Rotary represents a providential movement," Means wrote. "Our Rotary wheel means that our best gifts of service are rolling always in the right direction."

The emblem's omnipresence in Rotary from the earliest days of the first clubs also has left an indelible mark on Rotarian culture. For example, the name of the official magazine of Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland for many years was The Rotary Wheel before it was renamed simply Rotary. The comics and jokes section of The Rotarian is still called "Stripped Gears."

Use of the Rotary wheel

Today, Rotary's emblem not only distinguishes Rotary in the community, but also helps Rotarians identify each other and find clubs when traveling.

The Rotary emblem, like Rotary's name, is a registered trademark, protected throughout the world by Rotary International. These trademarks, among numerous others owned by RI, are commonly referred to as the "Rotary Marks."* RI encourages Rotary clubs, Rotary districts, and other Rotary entities to use the Rotary emblem in conjunction with the name of their clubs and districts when they host or organize local projects or events.

"The Rotary emblem is recognizable as the symbol of Rotary around the world," said Jomarie Fredericks, intellectual property manager for legal services at RI. "Following the RI Board's guidelines for use of the Rotary Marks will ensure that Rotarians will be able to use them for generations to come."