What is Rotary?

Rotary is a worldwide organization of more than 1.2 million business, professional, and community leaders. Members of Rotary clubs, known as Rotarians, provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.

There are 33,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Clubs are nonpolitical, nonreligious, and open to all cultures, races, and creeds. As signified by the motto Service Above Self, Rotary’s main objective is service — in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world.

In July 2008, the Cambridge Area Rotary club was officially chartered with over 25 members and hosted a “Charter Day” celebration on June 14, 2009 at the Boyden Barn. Chuck Hogan, a recent Cambridge Area Rotary President, was a member and past-President of the Morrisville Rotary club. He had a vision of starting a club in Cambridge as we have an active community, and he felt that Cambridge would benefit from such a service club.

Since the Cambridge Area club was formed, members have participated in many events and worked with other area organizations to benefit the community. Some of these events and organizations include hosting the Cambridge Fun Run and Beaudoin fundraiser, participating with Meals and Wheels and the Chamber of Commerce in the Shining Stars program that provided gift baskets to Cambridge seniors for Christmas, reading to classes at the Cambridge Elementary School, and providing dictionaries for 3rd graders and thesauruses for 5th graders in area elementary schools. The Club has supported the Cambridge Food Shelf, the Girls on the Run program and the Lamoille Middle School Literacy program as well as hosted an exchange student from Brazil for the school year. The Club also secured a grant to fund materials and provided volunteers to work with the Cambridge Greenway Path to install safety fencing along the Greenway Path.

If you are interested in attending a Rotary meeting, they are held at 7 AM in the upstairs of 158 Main Street most Thursday mornings. On the fifth Thursday of a month, there is a social meeting at night. You may check the Rotary Calendar for dates and times of meetings and other Rotary activities.  If you would like more information on Rotary, please contact Sam Lotto, President at (802) 793-5509.