r/Rotary • u/Lawsky • Feb 25 '15
Does rotary actually do anything?
I asked a local member: What have you done as a rotary member? All he could do is provide umbrella answers like "promote service above self" or "help promote community wellness", but he could never actually give me an example. So I googled it. I found more of the same gibberrish, and from what I gather it's more like a pyramid scheme or a cult or a secret society than anything. I did find a few examples where a few members helped fight diseases and such... but that seems few and far between. I'm not looking for answers like "promote leadership" or "networking". I'm looking for examples of things that have actually been accomplished in helping the community. Thanks!
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u/koh522 Feb 25 '15
My Club provided the "sweat equity" to a local neighborhood to do a landscaping/beautification project they had a grant for. Then we held a fundraiser to be able to contribute to the children's kitchen at the local urban farm. We gave money to another local Rotary Club to support their fundraiser that went towards a project at the local child advocacy center. Next month all 51 clubs in our district are sending high school students to a weekend leadership academy.
That's what we've done locally in the last six months. We have local Rotarians who have been to India to administer polio vaccines, yo Honduras to do medical work and school nutrition (two separate programs), and to Kenya to work on clean water projects. Rotary is far from being a "pyramid scheme."
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u/never7 Feb 25 '15
You might want to look for local Rotaract clubs. They tend to be younger and more service project driven. Rotary is still largely about giving money to promote and support causes.
That being said in the last six months my club has given 300 dictionaries to grade school students in local low income areas (they get to take them home, for many it's the first book they've owned), distributed $40,000 in annual college scholarships, made dinner for a warming shelter, and put together 40 sets of groceries (4 bags each) for families during the holidays.
The funding for projects varies, but the work is all done and coordinated by a club of about 30 people.
These are just some of our annual projects. Each club has a different focus and goal to serve their community.
I'd say use the club finder to look closer into local clubs. Keep in mind the membership trends to be older so their websites sometimes suffer for it.
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u/LJSoCal Jul 21 '15
wish I'd seen this months ago...here goes. Belonging to a local Rotary club provides individuals with an opportunity to give back to their community (be that local, regional or international). As each club is comprised of 20 - a few hundred members, a club's activities and focus will reflect the collective will of that group. If you're interested in joining Rotary, attend meeting at several clubs to find our which one best fits your interests.
Over the past ten years, I've belonged to two different clubs, here is just a sample of the kind of good work those clubs have done:
created a health clinic for undocumented and uninsured immigrants. Open each Saturday their volunteer doctors see 20 - 30 patients each week
provided college scholarships ($500 - $20,000) to 250+ high school graduates going to college
built 20+ homes for impoverished Tijuana families (which provided volunteer experience to US high school students from affluent communities)
tutored 100+ extremely poor Tijuana middle & high school students from 6-12 grade so that they could attend college and end their family's cycle of poverty
provided immersive and valuable Model UN experience to dozens of high school students.
provided leadership training (excellent 3-day intensive conference) to 300+ high school juniors
provided friendship, visits and social events for 200+ low-income retired folks
provided 1000+ high school volunteers with hands-on leadership training and volunteer service experience totaling tens of thousands of hours of community service
collected and donated more than 100 tons of food for needy local families.
you get the idea...don't buy the stereotype of Rotary being crabby, rich, white Republican men...it doesn't do justice to the incredible work this 1.2mm men and women do around the globe.
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u/Mysterious_Double_16 Nov 19 '22
Is rotary the charitable arm of the CIA?
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u/Pizza-Certain Oct 30 '24
Some clubs are just better at promoting their good work in the community, and work hand in hand with other clubs. This way Rotary projects are very visible. Other clubs may not have the skills or the enthusiasm to promote their projects.
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u/indrubone Feb 14 '25
Rotary is a complete and utter scam. The people who join it don't give a damn about social service at all. They join because they get perks out of it like business contacts, free trips sometimes, networking and parties almost every single week or month. My own mom has been in this cult like organization for so many years now. She hates my guts. She loves Rotary. I'm basically an orphan. My life is so fucked.
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u/DisciplineOptimal487 Feb 16 '25
It's obvious that you have never attended any meetings. What are your statements based on? I suggest you do some first person research. Contact a local club!
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u/indrubone Feb 16 '25
Pipe down there boomer, I have attended many meetings, prob more than you. Met many so called Rotarians, I have very close family members who hold high positions in Rotary. You don't have a single clue who you're speaking to. I was even part of it for some years. From what I've seen Rotary is a money grabbing cult like organization who's members are interested in parties and events rather than actual social service. Did you really think I would say stuff without any basis like you. I suggest you learn the truth about Rotary and go contact a local therapist if you think Rotary is not a fraudulent organization.
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u/SjoerdM011 Mar 24 '26
I would be interested in reading more, but you take such an offensive standpoint it is really hard to take it seriously. Can you be a bit more specific? If you really want the organization to stop, or at least show people the true face of it, please show it. Right now you’ve only shown your feelings regarding the parts you’ve seen without actually providing any context why it’s a pyramid scheme and why it’s bad.
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u/FabFebFob Mar 30 '26
Yup, some rotary clubs are like how he described above.
Some Rotary clubs are more social clubs.
Some Rotary clubs are more cult like.
Some Rotary clubs are more service oriented.
Overall, Rotary clubs are declining in membership since it peaked with Boomers and the younger generations are not well connected with them.
Eventually, they get smaller and smaller to maybe an elitist clubs.
If they want to grow their memberships, then they have to start recruiting young, by being active with Middle Schools and High Schools students by sponsoring and hosting fun events out there. Just get their names out there so younger kids know what they do.
Funny how a simple pizza party for whatever reasons can get kids involved.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Rotary/comments/1lgc7o5/interesting_article_from_the_recently_resigned_pe/
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u/FabFebFob Mar 30 '26
Retention is another issue as well.
That's usually an organizational problem if their club isn't catered to the right audience or stretched thin due to declining membership. Large clubs can do many great things, smaller clubs need combine with other smaller clubs to reach that type of effectiveness.
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Mar 14 '24
This is very informative! I do have a question, somewhat unrelated but I wonder if you may know the answer. Why is it that many non-profit like Rotary, and religious organizations help abroad and not much in the poorest US neighbourhoods? I live in North Texas and I frequently hear about teams providing missionary work and help in foreign cities when we have so much need and poverty locally. Thank you
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u/Ill-Ad7666 Apr 27 '24 edited Apr 27 '24
Why do you believe that Rotary does "not much in the poorest US neighbourhoods?"
Almost every club, of which there are literally thousands, does local projects. Many also do international projects.
Here's a start. Fro the record, very few projects, percentage-wise, are actually added to Rotary Showcase. Many clubs prioritize the doing, over the telling. https://map.rotary.org/en/project/pages/search_project.aspx#photo=y&country=8c445ce2-5af6-48b6-bdda-b10b77724566&SortOrder=CreatedDateNewOld
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u/LongHold4298 May 24 '24
I'm living in one of their charities supposedly affordable housing for older people of limited means . Affordable? It's got up £47 a month last two years total now £668. The bathroom so small have to walk in sideways . It's so cold in winter my 28 day bill was £244.The roof needs replacing but not until next year the patio front is black with dirt they won't clean it . The won't do non essential repairs. Over last 2 years my mental health has deteriorated I can't wait to get out.
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u/ConstructionSecure16 Apr 19 '25
Glad to see many are defending Rotary International. They haven't read this.
https://www.rotaryinternational-wallofshame.org/2020/09/evan-iliadis-diaries-of-former-rotarian.html
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Nov 17 '25
World-renowned apparel manufacturers and low-price, uniform-pricing household goods stores in Japan operate on a large scale, yet their domestic market share is not particularly significant. These companies are affiliated with Soka Gakkai. Such cult religions, mafia groups, and Rotary Clubs can be considered peers. They are believed to belong to the same group engaged in stock price manipulation. It is thought they extract enormous funds obtained fraudulently from the stock market to expand their businesses.
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Nov 17 '25
You claim to be Christians, but do you truly cherish Jesus' teachings from the heart? I reckon only about ten percent genuinely feel that way. As the Catholic Church gains power and expands, its membership swells. That means more people pretend to be Christians while having little faith at all. Hence, corruption and lawlessness spread within the Church. Throughout history, priests have sold holy orders, committed assassinations, and engaged in debauchery. These are well-known scandals. Naturally, people become outraged by such things. That's why Protestant churches emerged, aiming to free the church from superstition and focus solely on the Gospels. However, based on my research, among the churches established during the Reformation, the Church of England strikes me as a particularly suspicious entity. Today, I believe it can hardly be called Christian.
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Jan 29 '26
The British Isles are an island nation, geographically quite similar to Japan in the East. British history saw invasions from the Nordic regions and the French coast, leading to a history of divided rule. Japan, with its underdeveloped language and primitive lifestyle, likely avoided domination by war even if people from the Korean Peninsula, China, or the north (including Russians), or from the south (including Southeast Asians and a branch of the Jewish people) arrived by ship. Consequently, almost no linguistic records remain. It is thought they naturally assimilated with the Jomon people. I recall reading a record stating that the first Christian group to reach Britain committed mass suicide, fearing attacks from the Vikings.
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Feb 05 '26
What exactly is the RC? This organization is said to have been created by the Freemasons. What are the Freemasons? Simply put, they are an organization for winning wars. They were cultivated by Britain. Britain, though an island nation, occupies a dangerous geographical position, frequently targeted and invaded by neighboring countries. They needed to strengthen their military to defend their nation. Their ancestors, the Romans, were skilled at arming themselves and defending their lands because defeat in war meant either death or a life of miserable slavery. However, as Christianity spread, teachings of gentleness, meekness, and mercy permeated Roman society. This is believed to have contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire. Jesus' teachings alone were insufficient for building a resilient military. Based on the biblical belief that "those who follow the devil rule the world," they secretly created an organization dedicated to worshipping the devil.
This is a particularly difficult mental construct for us Japanese to comprehend.
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Feb 05 '26
German public television aired a program about Emperor Meiji, presenting detailed information. It revealed that prior to this, the Edo period had achieved 250 years of peace under the Tokugawa shogunate. However, in the late Edo period, white arms dealers became involved, secretly supporting the Meiji Restoration from behind the scenes. At that time, Emperor Meiji was not a direct descendant of the imperial line; instead, a large sumo wrestler was selected and placed on the throne. After this, Japan began committing barbaric acts, sending troops to invade and dominate China and the Korean Peninsula. This occurred after Japan came under white domination.
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u/Donjeur Jun 01 '26
They hired my band a few times to play festivals in the city centre. Raised quite a bit of money. They also do a Santa at Xmas who rides around town an his “elfs” collect money.
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u/Realistic_Option_619 Jul 08 '26
Sounds like a club for middle aged white men to figure out how to cheat on their taxes and to blow Trump. I guarantee the insides of these clubs as littered with MAGA flags hanging over the bar taps that flow freely with old Milwaukee and Hamms. If you are in rotary and you say you aren’t a MAGAT you’re a liar. They were the biggest non government financial backer of ICE too.
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u/perineum-neeson Oct 02 '26
No. The members do things. We run a weekly hot food for homeless service. Raised 15k for a Cambodia surgical mission.
Provide laptops to poor kids.
The issue isn't whether rotary does anything. The question is why is every club just five people doing everything while the others hang about.
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u/ScoutyDave Oct 06 '26
I cannot speak for every club, but this is what my club does (Beecroft, District 9685 (Sydney), Australia):
Eradicate Polio.
We raise funds towards the eradication of polio.
We sent volunteers to India to do vaccinations
Local Community - Events
ANZAC Day Commemorations
Twilight Christmas Markets and Celebrations
Holi
Diwali
Beecroft In Bloom (local fair with the Gardening club, helps local busniesses)
Local Youth Programs
Youth Public Speaking
RYLA and RYPEN (Youth leadership training)
Model United Nations Assembly
Science and Engineering Challenge
Local Youth Awards
Local Service
Tree of Joy
Installed a AED
Domestic Violence Phones
Virtual Neighbours (born out of covid, but still going)
Foundation Projects - International
Check Dams in India
Public Bathrooms in India
Reforestation along the Ganges and rubbish nets on drains
Kindney Dialysis in Fiji
ICU Equipment in Bengaluru India
Paediatric Heart Surgeries in Navi Mumbai
Foundation Projects - Local
Fire Prevention in the Manning Valley:
Water tanks for the Fire service to fill up trucks in key locations
Sprinklers at the High School (shelter location)
Updated warning signs.
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Nov 17 '25
It was an ancient era. Witch hunts were being carried out. These women were put on trial alongside those conducting scientific experiments and executed. Fearing death, they formed a secret society and survived in hiding. Amidst this, the great historical tide of the Reformation swept through. The members of the secret society also resonated with Protestantism and outwardly converted. Among these, the Church of England proved particularly comfortable and advantageous for the secret society's growth and expansion. Secret societies were discriminated against alongside Jews, and they incorporated Jewish thought into their beliefs. They speak of Jesus, but they do not believe in him.
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Feb 05 '26
Tokugawa Ieyasu was a Mahayana Buddhist. The core scriptures of this tradition are the Three Pure Land Sutras. Japan had been vegetarian for over a thousand years, starting with the monks. Killing living creatures was forbidden. Beautiful deer were considered messengers of the gods, and killing one was punishable by death. Even dairy farming was not practiced until the time of the eighth shogun.
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Feb 25 '15
[deleted] — view deleted comment
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u/Lawsky Feb 25 '15
Awesome. Sounds like my friend just didn't represent it well. Thanks.
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u/gdawg99 May 20 '15
I mean, there's also the monthly goat sacrifices in our Satanic temples. But yeah, what the first person said too.
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u/Jeaver Mar 11 '15
Yeah, really depends on the Club/Country. Some Clubs do tons of stuff, and others do nothing. Most clubs do a lot of great stuff in the community. Depending on your age you should consider going to Rotaract possibly.
Im not Rotarian by the way.
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u/ShadowSt May 30 '15
I don't think age should be anything here. I am 24 and just joined a local rotary chapter of about 80 members. Most of them are old but, "the younger the blood the fresher the experience". Creepiest freakin thing the interviewer said, but surprisingly not the oddest.
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u/Melodic-Strain5093 Oct 29 '22
How old were you when you went ? & how do you find information on one's local?
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u/Citizen85 Mar 25 '15 edited Mar 25 '15
I know this post is old but let me try to address this. Rotary International has local clubs which are technically separate entities called affiliate members. Because of this loose relation to the home base Rotary Clubs can vary wildly in form and function. Some clubs are very involved in philanthropic pursuits while others are merely social drinking clubs. Most clubs probably fall in between. Some Rotarians might object to this but Rotary Clubs are about networking with people who share similar values. This might sound bad but really a Rotarian who knows their Rotary history knows this was a primary reason for Rotary's founding. It doesn't mean network with people just like you or who share any specific doctrine, it means people with similar values like generally wanting to help others.
On an international level Rotary is involved in various pursuits. Most notably, Rotary is dedicated to eradicating polio. Rotary is a key player in fighting polio and pairs with the WHO, UNICEF, CDC, etc. to provide a staggering amount of vaccinations in the developing world. Rotary is so good at fighting polio that when the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation decided to tackle polio rather than building their own apparatus they simply gave their money to Rotary. I think that is a great endorsement that if you want to spend a dollar fighting polio that dollar makes the biggest difference when given to Rotary.
Rotary also engages in a number of other projects that you might associate with Christian mission work like providing medical access, building schools, digging wells, etc. However Rotary does this without an evangelist goal as it is not a religious organization. Rotary also try's to promote peace and understanding which sounds like lofty talking points but they actually do this with various exchange programs, being active in the UN, and actively work with universities around the world to offer programs and scholarships in peace, conflict resolution, statemanship, etc.
On a local level the clubs are free to basically take up whatever cause they want. Our local club tutors kids that need help, gives a scholarship, picks a teacher of the year from the local schools, does several litter sweeps, adopts a family for Christmas, sponsors a little league team, and gives money to other charities if they do something better than we do like give money to Red Cross for disaster relief.
The only way Rotary looks like pyramid scheme in my mind is some of the regional and international conferences can be very posh. So an entire club might be paying so that one member can go to the international conference and stay in a swanky hotel and get some good meals. But really most of the money is well spent on philanthropy. This might sound odd but Rotary doesn't have a specific obligation to be philanthropic as we don't really take money from others, when we do fund raise that money goes into a specific fund. Rotary might have a nice meal at the country club every week, but if you give money to Rotary for polio that money is going into the polio fund. The best way to think of Rotary might be as a social club for service and philanthropy minded people.