Rotary Club of Minneapolis Uptown

Thanks for visiting the Minneapolis Uptown Rotary Club website - we're happy to have you!

The Minneapolis Uptown Rotary club is part of District 5950 and just one of over 30,000 clubs around the globe working to further a common mission: Service Above Self.

What is a Rotary Club?  "Rotary is an organization of business and professional persons united worldwide who provide humanitarian servce, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world."

Rotary was founded in Chicago in 1905 by Paul Harris, the club was originally a way to foster personal and business relationships. But it was not a group of bigwigs, fatcats or industry elites - it was a club for "average" small-business owners and managers to connect with each other and help improve their community.

Today, Rotary International is one of the largest not-for-profit service organizations in the world, with more than one million members actively participating in thousands of local clubs spread across 161 countries. From its headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, Rotary International provides its members with the opportunity to address such issues as AIDS, homelessness, polio, lack of education, hunger, and other national and international problems. Rotary has been a strong force in the fight to eradicate polio.

Rotary International Foundation contributes nearly $100 million every year toward humanitarian programs in which Rotary members participate and voluntarily raise funds.

Rotary History:

 
1905: First Rotary meeting is held in Chicago.
1910: First national Rotary convention is held.

1910: First Rotary Club outside of the United States was formed in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

1911: First Rotary Club outside of North America was formed in Dublin, Ireland. 
1922: The name Rotary International is adopted among the organizations more than 1,000 chapters
worldwide.
1948: First international convention is held in Rio de Janeiro.
1953: Rotary headquarters moves to Evanston, Illinois.
1960s--70s:Organization's focus broadens to include such global issues as poverty and hunger
relief.
1987: U.S. Supreme Court rules that all male service organizations must accept women as
members.
1998: Rotary International includes more than 29,000 clubs in 161 countries.