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The first Rotary Club was established in Chicago, Illinois on February 23, 1905. On that day, Paul Harris, an attorney, invited three friends to a meeting with the idea of creating fellowship among members of the business community. This fellowship soon became known as “Rotary” because members met in rotation at their business locations.
100 years later, Rotary International is now the largest service club in the world with more than 1,250,000 members belonging to over 31,000 clubs in 166 countries around the world.
The Rotary Club of Charlottetown was founded on the 8th of November, 1917. The Rotary Club of Halifax sponsored the Charlottetown Club and our first President was Harry Tidmarsh, a prominent Charlottetown business man.
Since its inception, the Rotary Club of Charlottetown has been active in promoting the ideals of Rotary throughout the Province. It has proudly sponsored the Rotary Club of Summerside (1943), the Rotary Club of Charlottetown Hillsborough (1979), the Rotary Club of Montague (1985) and the Rotary Club of Charlottetown Royalty (1987). In addition it has sponsored the Inner Wheel Club of Charlottetown (1985), The Charlottetown Rotaract Club (1989), the Men’s Probus Club (1998) and the Women’s Probus Club (2003). Together these clubs have had, and continue to have, a significant positive impact on Prince Edward Island.
The Club has also fostered the spirit of Rotary, “Service Above Self” throughout the Island community by making substantial financial donations to many deserving local organizations. Those funds have been raised through a number of fund raisers including the Club’s two major fund raising events: the Rotary Auction and the Easter Seals Campaign. As a part of the worldwide organization, the Club has also participated in the Rotary Foundation and a number of international programs including Polio Plus, Group Study Exchange and the popular Youth Exchange Program.
On February 13th, 1956 The Rotary Club of Charlottetown adopted the Easter Seals Program as a vehicle to continue its support of children with disabilities. In the first year, $2,100 was raised. The Rotary Club of Charlottetown together with the Rotary Clubs of Summerside and Montague hold the franchise for Easter Seals on Prince Edward Island. Over the past 25 years, the Easter Seals Campaign has raised and distributed in PEI over $2.5 million.
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