Rotary established the "Endowment Fund" in 1917, which became the forerunner of The Rotary Foundation.

Rotary first adopted the name "Rotary International" in 1922 when the name was changed from the International Association of Rotary Clubs.

Rotary first established the Paul Harris Fellows recognition in 1957 for contributors of US$1,000 to The Rotary Foundation.

The Rotary emblem was printed on a commemorative stamp for the first time in 1931 at the time of the Vienna Convention.

The first Rotary club banner (from the Houston Space Center) to orbit the moon was carried by astronaut Frank Borman, a member of that club.

The first Rotary club meeting was in Chicago, Illinois on February 23, 1905.The first regular luncheon meetings were in Oakland, CA, chartered in 1909.

The first Rotary club outside of the U.S. was chartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, in 1910.

Rotary International, the world's first service club organization, is made up of over 33,000 clubs in over 200 countries. Its members form a global network of business and professional leaders who volunteer their time and talents to serve their communities and the world.

Rotary's motto, Service Above Self, exemplifies the humanitarian spirit of the organization's more than 1.2 million members. Strong fellowship among Rotarians and meaningful community and international service projects characterize Rotary worldwide.