Rotary began in Chicago in 1905

On February 23, 1905, a Chicago lawyer, Paul P. Harris, called three friends to a meeting. What he had in mind was a club that would kindle fellowship among members of the business community. It was an idea that grew from his desire to find within the large city of Chicago the kind of friendly spirit that he knew in the villages where he had grown up.

The meeting of these four businessmen was, in fact, the first meeting of the world's first Rotary club. As they continued to meet, adding others to the group, they rotated their meetings among the members' places of business, hence the name. Soon after a club name was agreed upon, one of the new members suggested a wagon wheel design as the club emblem. It was the precursor of the familiar cogwheel emblem now worn by Rotarians around the world. By the end of 1905, the club had 30 members.

The second Rotary club was formed in 1908 half a continent away from Chicago in San Francisco. It was a much shorter leap across San Francisco Bay to Oakland, where the third club was formed. Others followed in Seattle, Los Angeles and New York City. Rotary became international in 1910 when a club was formed in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. By 1921, the organization was represented on every continent, and the name Rotary International was adopted in 1922.

The Rotary Club of Rochester . . . a historical perspective

The first meeting of the Rochester Rotary Club was held on May 14, 1925, with sixteen "prospective members" present.  Rochester Rotary Club received its charter on June 11, 1925, at a dinner program held in the Kahler Café.  On the night of the charter presentation there was a great downpour of rain which caused flood damage within Rochester. Several visiting Rotarians had narrow escapes from flooding waters as they attempted to make their way home that evening.

Throughout the years, the Rotary Club of Rochester has been fortunate to receive many members of some notoriety. Dr. Charles Mayo, Justice Harry Blackmun and Dr. Edward Kendall were all past presidents of this club.

In 1954, the Club sponsored its first Rotary Club in the area.  The Chatfield Rotary Club received its charter on May 7.  A second Rotary Club, appropriately named Rotary II, was chartered within the Rochester city limits on October 31, 1978. The Rochester Rotary Risers was the name selected for the third Rochester club.  The club was co-sponsored by the Rochester Rotary Club and Rotary II and received its charter on March 19, 1988.

Each year since 1999, the three Rochester Rotary clubs have joined together during the holiday season to host the Holiday Classic Basketball Tournament. Hundreds of thousands of dollars has been raised for scholarships and other youth-related awards.