Dick Durbin: “I offer this resolution, S. Res. 62, celebrating and honoring Rotary International on the occasion of its centennial…”

“I offer this resolution, S. Res. 62, celebrating and honoring Rotary International on the occasion of its centennial anniversary. From a small gathering of friends in Chicago on February 23, 1905, Rotary International has grown to become one of the largest non-profit service organizations in the world. There are approximately 400,000 Rotarians in the United States, and 1.2 million members worldwide. Rotarians have undertaken countless projects, large and small, to improve the well-being of communities around the world. They have promoted international exchange and learning as a means of building goodwill and understanding between nations. In 1985, Rotary International began working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and UNICEF toward a bold goal: to eliminate polio from the earth. Since then, Rotarians have contributed over half a billion dollars toward the global effort to eradicate polio, and their dedication and commitment is paying off. Since 1988, the number of polio cases in the world has dropped by 99 percent. The world now stands on the threshold of eradicating the disease. Winston Churchill reminded us, "We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give." With this resolution, we honor the century of service that the men and women of Rotary International have given.”