HR0100 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0100 LRB094 07263 CSA 37419 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois congratulate Rotary International on its 100th anniversary; and

WHEREAS, To celebrate Rotary's centennial anniversary, the organization is taking time to reflect on all its accomplishments over the years; throughout 2005, there will be several events and volunteer efforts that will carry on the spirit of service to the community that began so many years ago; and

WHEREAS, Rotary International was established in Chicago on February 23, 1905 by Paul P. Harris; Mr. Harris founded Rotary International with the mission of promoting benevolence amongst club members and the community; as Rotary International began to expand, so did its mission of service to the community; with a motto of "Service Above Self", they inspire members to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards, and promote good will and peace throughout the world; and

WHEREAS, The Rotary Foundation, a not-for-profit organization, was formed in 1928 for the purpose of funding the many projects sponsored by Rotary International; today, contributions to the foundation total more than $80 million dollars annually; this money supports a wide range of programs that enable citizens of the world to function better within their communities; and

WHEREAS, In 1985, Rotary International began one of its most ambitious missions, and that was to eradicate the world of polio; through their program, Polio Plus, they coordinated with the World Health Organization, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and UNICEF to provide polio immunizations to children around the world; and

WHEREAS, Rotary International has grown exponentially over the last 100 years; from its humble beginnings in Chicago to a world-wide organization, Rotary now boasts 1.2 million members who belong to over 31,000 clubs in more than 165 countries; in Illinois alone, there are 14,500 Rotary members in 330 different clubs; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we do hereby proclaim February 23, 2005 as Rotary International Day in Illinois and encourage all citizens to be cognizant of the many great services this organization provides to people throughout the world.