Each year, Rotary International selects a new theme. “Rotary Connects the World” was the theme from 2021/2022. We especially liked that as we all dealt with the isolation brought on by the COVID Pandemic. The theme for 2023/2024 was “Create Hope in the World” …. another fitting theme for the work being done in communities around the globe; including right here in New Canaan, CT! And the new theme for 2024/2025 is “The Magic of Rotary” ….. which we think works both ways; as like-minded individuals committed to making the world a better place can really make a significant impact, while each Rotary member finds the simple experience of belonging to Rotary a magical experience!
Club members John Kerchoff, Keith Simpson, and Eric Fjeldal distribute Dictionaries to third grade students at East School in New Canaan ….. ‘Service Above Self’
New Canaan Rotary Club in Action.
Our club does hands-on service projects like keeping the trails clear at the Bristow Sanctuary and Wildlife Preserve, annual New Canaan Clean-A-Mile, Pura-Vida Food Packing for Feed my Starving Children, and many more.
In addition, since it’s founding, our local Club has raised and donated over $1,000,000 to local non-profits and International Rotary service projects.
Locally, for several years, our club has focused our annual grant making on a few of Rotary International’s six areas of focus (see bottom of this page for more info): Supporting Education, Supporting Women and Children, and Fighting Disease, which we expand to include Health and Wellness.
Dictionary distribution at East Elementary School in New Canaan.
Supporting Education.
Through hands-on projects like our Annual Dictionary giveaway to all local 3rd grade students and grants to organizations like:
Horizons Kids
Pura-Vida food packing event at New Canaan High School.
Supporting Women and Children.
Through hands-on projects like our annual Pura-Vida food packing effort or our meal packaging efforts at Filling-In-The-Blanks in Norwalk to our grants to organizations like:
The Gates Foundation joins Rotary’s quest to end Polio NOW.
Supporting Health and Wellness.
While Rotary’s Polio eradication effort spans the globe, we’ve concentrated our local efforts on grants to organizations like:
Annual Grant Distribution …. Past Award Recipients
About Rotary International
and
The Rotary Club of New Canaan
Rotary International was founded by attorney Paul Harris in Chicago, Illinois, in February 1905 when he invited other business leaders from the city to begin meeting regularly to discuss how they might collaborate to address some of the days greatest social needs and challenges. Those early meetings ‘rotated’ between each members offices, thus was born the name “ROTARY”.
Today, Rotary International is a global network of over 1.2 million neighbors, friends, leaders and problem solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change - across the globe, in local communities, and in ourselves. Those members come together in over 35,000 local clubs based in over 135 countries worldwide. Rotary is the world’s largest service club, with its members contributing over 16 MILLION VOLUNTEER HOURS ANNUALLY.
FACT: Rotary International is the ONLY non-governmental agency to have a permanent seat at the United Nations!
The cog and spoke logo of Rotary International represents its individual members on the outer gears, with each successive inward connection representing local clubs, area districts and finally the one International Organization at the center.
In 1985, Rotary International stepped up to the global challenge to eradicate Polio from the face of the earth. What started as a noble goal has turned into an epic quest…. with support over the years added by the World Health Organization and the Gates Foundation. Learn more about the Rotary Polio Plus Campaign.
Here in New Canaan, our local club was founded on March 23, 1959 and has been an active civic leader ever since. With membership of approximately fifty individuals from a cross-section of local businesses, organizations, and professions, the Rotary Club of New Canaan is a testament to the positive power of civic-minded people working together to make the world a better place.
Our local club meets weekly for lunch every Thursday at 12:15pm. We gather for friendship, camaraderie, fellowship, and to advance local problem solving. We enjoy lunch and hear from a speaker who shares their passion and perspective about an organization, a cause, a local event, professional expertise, personal hobby, or just an interesting topic of the day. We adjourn at 1:30pm refreshed, energized, and ready to make the world a better place.
In addition to weekly meetings, our club runs several Annual Events, the Lobsterfest being the major one, to raise money that we then distribute to worthy local non-profits through our annual grant process. Club members also participate in hands-on volunteering efforts such as meal packing for Filling-In-The-Blanks, our annual Dictionary Project where we distribute a dictionary to every third grader in the local school district, to other meaningful volunteer engagements. Rotary is People in Action.
Rotary’s Mission: We provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, good will, and peace through our fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.
Does this sound like a place you belong? Learn more about considering membership in the Rotary Club of New Canaan!
Rotary International. Our Causes.
Rotary is dedicated to six areas of focus to build international relationships, improve lives, and create a better world to support our peace efforts and end polio forever.
Promoting Peace.
Rotary encourages conversations to foster understanding within and across cultures. We train adults and young leaders to prevent and mediate conflict and help refugees who have fled dangerous areas.
Fighting Disease.
We educate and equip communities to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases like polio, HIV/AIDS, and malaria. We improve and expand access to low-cost and free health care in developing areas.
Providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene.
We support local solutions to bring clean water, sanitation, and hygiene to more people every day. We don’t just build wells and walk away. We share our expertise with community leaders and educators to make sure our projects succeed long-term.
Saving Mothers and Children.
Nearly 6 million children under the age of five die each year because of malnutrition, poor health care, and inadequate sanitation. We expand access to quality care, so mothers and their children can live and grow stronger.
Supporting Education.
More than 775 million people over the age of 15 are illiterate. Our goal is to strengthen the capacity of communities to support basic education and literacy, reduce gender disparity in education, and increase adult literacy.
Growing Local Economies.
We carry out service projects that enhance economic and community development and create opportunities for decent and productive work for young and old. We also strengthen local entrepreneurs and community leaders, particularly women, in impoverished communities.
Rotary International in Action.
By harnessing the collective impact of over 1.2 million members in over 35,000 clubs around the world, Rotary International is having a dramatic impact on the causes that motivate us.
This is a video compilation of just some of Rotary’s impact.
