(Chelsea Update would like to thank Rick Taylor for the information in this story.)
It’s hard to know what Rotary International does in a sea of other non-profit organizations that include Kiwanis and Lions Club.
So, here’s what Rotary International does and why you should get involved in your Chelsea Rotary Chapter.
Rotary International was founded in 1905, and is recognized as being the first volunteer service organization. There are more than 34,000 chapters throughout the world making it also one of the largest non-profit organizations (NGO’s) in the world.
“Service above Self” are the simple, yet profoundly powerful words, used to describe what Rotary International is all about. The organization’s main objective is service to the community, in the workplace and around the globe.
Rotary specializes in providing clean water to Third World countries, combating hunger, and improving health and sanitation on a global scale.
But, it’s the eradication of polio that sets Rotary apart, as the organization has virtually eliminated the disease with just a few hundred cases still in existence. Since 1985, Rotary has provided more than 2 billion children with the oral polio vaccine, and the organization can proudly say that 209 countries are now “Polio-Free.”
Rotary doesn’t stop there, however, it provides “Shelter Boxes” in disaster areas like Haiti and other areas of the world.
On a local level, Rotary International has given numerous donations and scholarships to local schools, students and other local non-profit organizations.
Ginger Sissom, current president of the Rotary Club of Chelsea, along with other local Rotarians, has created a “strategic plan” to provide additional help for both local and global needs.
Recently, the Rotary Club of Chelsea hosted a visit by “Coach Don Riddell,” the District Governor for the area, which also includes parts of Ontario, Canada.
Coach Don talked about his experiences with rotary, its humanitarian causes, and how blessed he is to be in such a wonderful organization.
He was very impressed with our friendly local members and became quite fond of our Chelsea atmosphere as well as Common Grill rolls.
“I was proud to present Coach Don with our new strategic plan and our accomplishments,” Sissom said in an email. “I believe he saw one of the things that makes our club great — we like and respect each other. We enjoy serving the community together.”
The Rotary Club of Chelsea meets every Tuesday in the basement of The Common Grill restaurant at 12:15 p.m. and meetings conclude at 1:15pm.
Guests are warmly welcomed and we’d be happy to answer any questions about our “Service above Self.”
