Rotary Club of Ladner, one of 34,000 clubs in 200 countries and territories of 1.2 million members in Rotary International, celebrated the 116th Anniversary of now the world's oldest and second largest service organization on February 23, 2021. The date is known as World Peace and Understanding Day. Club members enjoyed a virtual tour of the Rotary International headquarters in the Chicago suburb of Evanston, Illinois.
On February 23, 1905, Chicago lawyer Paul Harris founded, with Gustavus Loehr, Sylvester Schiele and Hiram Shore Loharas, the Rotary Club of Chicago as a place where professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships. The organization became known as Rotary because the four founders, and others who joined them, rotated meetings among their places of work.The mission of Rotary is: "Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change — across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves."
Throughout the world Rotary International invests many millions of dollars and volunteer hours in service above self every year making the world a better place with a focus on these seven areas of need:
• Peace and conflict prevention/resolution
• Disease prevention and treatment
• Water and sanitation
• Maternal and child health
• Basic education and literacy
• Economic and community development
• Environment
• Peace and conflict prevention/resolution
• Disease prevention and treatment
• Water and sanitation
• Maternal and child health
• Basic education and literacy
• Economic and community development
• Environment
 | |
 |  |
Below is a virtual tour of Rotary's headquarters building, hosted by Chief Executive Officer and General Secretary John Hewko.