Welcome to the Rotary Club of New Orleans

What is Rotary?

Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers in more than 35,000 clubs, and more than 200 countries and geographical areas who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.

The Five Areas of Service

  • Club Service
  • Vocational Service
  • Community Service
  • International Service
  • Youth Service

The Four-Way Test

  • Is it the truth?
  • Is it fair to all concerned?
  • Will it build goodwill and better friendship?
  • Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

The Rotary Motto

Service Above Self

Become A Volunteer

2023 Sippin' for Scholarships Event


A Brief History

In Chicago in 1905, Paul Harris and three acquaintances met to organize a small group of men to meet weekly for fellowship. They rotated the meeting sites and called it a Rotary Club. It soon became a luncheon-meeting club, with group singing, and the service idea was developed. A wagon-wheel became the Club symbol. In 1908, other clubs formed, and in 1910 a National Association of Rotary Clubs was formed, with Paul Harris as president. A convention was held and a national office was established. See Rotary International.

The Rotary Club of New Orleans was formed on February 23, 1910 during a meeting held at 232 North Peters Street.
 
On April 26, 1910, with a membership of 40, the Rotary Club of New Orleans officially became the 12th Rotary Club organized in the world. Although its members gather at noon, its weekly meetings begin at 12:12pm in honor of this.
 
As the City of New Orleans expanded into the suburbs, the Rotary Club of New Orleans sponsored many new Clubs being formed outside the New Orleans central business district. From the New Orleans Club were born the Westbank Rotary Club in 1953, the Rotary Club of Metairie in 1957 and the Rotary Club Carrollton in 1959. In 2010, the Rotary Club of New Orleans Riverbend joined the group offering meetings in uptown New Orleans.
 
In both 1991 and 2018, Club members partnered with Philippine clubs to deliver tens of thousands of textbooks to schools that had suffered disasters from typhoons.
 
Today, the Rotary Club of New Orleans can be found awarding college and technical scholarships for local high school students, distributing back packs filled with school supplies to elementary students, providing food for a week to needy families during the Thanksgiving holiday, adopting families during Christmas to provide gifts they would not otherwise enjoy during the holiday, as well as many other community based projects. On an international basis, the Club supports orphanages in the both the Philippines and India with items to help meet their daily and educational needs. Members also enjoy one of the most robust program schedules in the city making its luncheons the best continuing education about New Orleans in the region.

Foundations

Rotary International, as well as the Rotary Club of New Orleans, has established ways to handle local and international donations.
 
The Rotary Foundation provides a way for Rotarians around the world to join together for the common good.Through Global Grants, The Foundation in cooperation with districts and clubs around the world funds many programs in six areas of focus: fighting disease, promoting peace, providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene, maternal and child health, education and literacy, and growing local economies. Rotary International’s top priority is the eradication of polio. We are close to the endgame,but we have not yet accomplished what we set out to do more than 30 years. It is our promise to the children of the world to eliminate this threat. And we will not stop until it is accomplished.
 
The New Orleans Rotary Fund, Inc., "NORFI" is our club's local philanthropic arm awarding thousand of dollars each year for scholarships to high school seniors and equipment/capital grants to local non-profit organizations.
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Club Information

Meeting Place

The Rotary Club of New Orleans meets each Wednesday at 12 noon for a lunch meeting filled with fellowship and interesting and informative programs. We typically meet at  New Orleans Lawn Tennis Club ,  5353 Laurel St, New Orleans, LA 70115.
See Map and Directions for further details.

Rotary Contact Details

Rotary Club of New Orleans P.O. Box 50635
New Orleans LA 70150

How to Propose/Become a Member

Download Application Form (PDF). 
All prospective members must be proposed by a current member.
Club Executives & Directors
President
President Elect
Vice President
Treasurer
Secretary
Immediate Past President
Sergeant-at-Arms
Executive Secretary
Membership
Interact Chair
Upcoming Events
Take the first step
Do your part!

Speakers
Carol Pandak
Mar 20, 2024
PolioPlus
Map of New Orleans