BAY OF PLENTY BEACON Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 1949 ROTARY FELLOWSHIP

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 72, 1 April 1949, Page 4

BAY OF PLENTY BEACON Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 1949 ROTARY FELLOWSHIP

Recently the Whakatane Rotary Club shared with similar pubs throughout the world the celebration of the anniversary of the foundation of Rotary, February 23. Though itself a com : paratively young organisation, the locgl Club as a part of an international body shares the pride all Rotarians feel in the achievements of the movement over the past 44 years. During that ’time, Rotary has grown amazingly. In the last six months, for example, 172 new Rotary Clubs have been organised in Argentina and Australia, in Brazil and Burma, in Finland and France, in Iceland and India—in 27 different Today there are more than 6,700 Rotary Clubs in 80 countries and geographical regions throughout the world, which have a membership t»f 322,000 business and professional executives. In all these countries, the general objectives of Rotaiy Clubs are much the same—the development of fellowship and understanding among the business and professional men in the community, the promotion of com-munity-betterment endeavours and of high standards in business and professional practices, and the advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace. Rotary Clubs in every country are composed of men *who represent the principal business and professional interests in the, community. Therefore, they are in a particularly advantageous position to be of service to their community and their country in these critical days through which ihe world is passing. As a concrete expression of one of its principal objectives—“the advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace'’—Rotary International has awarded 55 Rotary Foundation Fellowships, in the last two years, to enable outstanding graduate students from Argentina, Australia, Belgium. Canada, China, Denmark, England, France, Honduras, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Palestine and the U.S.A. to study abroad. These Rotary Fellowships provide for one year of study and carry grants ranging from 2,000 to 4,000 dollars. With Rotary Clubs in nearly every country in the world, Rotary Fellows have constant opportunities to visit the homes of Rotarians in whatever country they are studying and to attend Rotary Club gatherings, thus acquiring a better understanding of the people of those countries. Rotary Fellows have proved to be unusually effective ambassadors of goodwill, both in the countries in which they study and in their own countries following their return from overseas.

Since the end of World War n, approximately 10,000 packages of food and clothing have been sent to needy people in war-torn countries through funds provided by the Rotary Foundation. To focus attention on Vocational Service principles and to pi* mote "heir wider application by Rotarians in their businesses and professions, Rotary International has published a 144page book entitled “Service Is My Business,” 50,000 copies of which have been printed. It has received wide acclaim from many executives, professors, research experts, and business analysts for its warmth and understanding of the problem of human relations in business and industry. What Rotary International has done in co-operation with the United Nations’ efforts to cement peace and goodwill is outlined in another article appearing in today’s news, and the total of its efforts in that direction is impressive. With its motto of “Service Before Self” and its honest seeking for better understanding amongst men of all occupations, creeds and colours, Rotary has

the answer to the world’s problems. Even here in Whakatane its members, by putting Rotary’s ideals into practice in every phase of their daily living and their business dealings, have a splendid opportunity to make their town a better and a happier place for all its citizens. Leaders in their own callings, imbued with" the ideals of an organisation with the loftiest posible aims, Rotarians have every reason to be proud of their membership, and every need to feel humble when they consider the consistently high ethical standard it demands of them.