ROTARY INTERNATIONAL
Rotary, the world’s first service club, began in 1905 with the formation of the Rotary of Chicago, Illinois. Started by a young attorney, Paul Harris, and three of his friends, Paul wished to recapture the friendly spirit he had felt among business people in the town where he had grown up.
Rotary is now 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 more than 34,000 Rotary clubs worldwide, which are open to people of all cultures and ethnicities, and are not affiliated with any political or religious organizations. As signified by the motto “Service Above Self”, Rotary’s main objective is service – in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world.
ALBEMARLE COUNTY ROTARY CLUB
The Albemarle County Rotary Club (ACRC) was chartered in May 1971. The Club meets on 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month at 12:15 at the Greencroft Club where we enjoy fellowship and programs featuring speakers on topics from local to global interest. We are a very active Club with many ongoing projects both in the local community and abroad.
Through our Club, we build lifelong friendships, and experience the personal fulfillment of volunteering for others. In addition to our service and fundraising projects, members and their guests enjoy social activities including our annual Holiday dinner party, an outing at Charlottesville Opera, events coordinated with other local Rotary clubs, and informal gatherings.
ALBEMARLE COUNTY ROTARY CLUB
P O Box 6075
Charlottesville, VA 22906
Contact:
Christina Clough
email: [email protected]
phone: 804-814-3486
Please come and join us!
Meeting 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 12:15 PM
Greencroft Club
575 Rodes Drive; Charlottesville, VA 22903
OUR CLUB PROJECTS
Kids Swing
Starting in 2011, ACRC established an annual fundraiser for a local charity as our primary beneficiary, along with college scholarships for high school seniors. Kids Swing has netted an average of over $23,000 per year.
For many years this charity event took the form of a golf tournament, but in 2022, our club began holding a Pickleball tournament on the newest courts in Central Virginia!
Education
In 2022, ACRC initiated the very first Interact Rotary club in Central Virginia for middle school students in partnership with Journey Middle School. Our club awards college scholarships each year supporting vocational success, and assists high school students with funds for Rotary or school sponsored camps and educational trips. Recently, ACRC was recognized by Piedmont Virginia Community College as a $50,000 lifetime donor.
Annual Charitable Gifts
Auction funds are raised at the Club’s annual Holiday party, with over $4,000 distributed to local charities and projects. ACRC also provides holiday food and gifts to low income families.
Community Projects
ACRC serves our community. We bell ring for the Salvation Army, perform cleanup of the Rivanna River between Darden Towe and Riverview Parks, and joined other local Rotary Clubs to install benches, plant shrubs and perform other projects at McIntire Park. We provide volunteer and financial support to Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry helping to ensure healthy food for needy residents.
International Projects
Working with our Rotary District, we host group study teams from other countries. We raise funds for Rotary International’s Annual Fund, the Polio eradication program, donate to provide Shelter Boxes for disaster victims, and assist teams of doctors who travel to India to surgically treat children, participate in the Rotary International Global grant WASH to provide access to clean water and sanitation for a rural school in Guangaje, Ecuador. We support to the Charlottesville-Winneba foundation providing scholarships for education projects in Ghana.
Virginia to Africa
Working with local Rotary Clubs and UVA Engineering, the team is involved in clean water and sanitation projects in Africa that are led by Rotarians and University of Virginia representatives.
MEMBERSHIP
- Benefits – Membership provides an opportunity to share your experiences, knowledge, time and love of service to your community with fellow Rotarians and to live our motto of “Service Above Self”. We have a network of professionals not just within our Club, but with other Rotarians we meet at district or national events.
- Club Expectations – Regular attendance at our meetings is encouraged. We ask that you serve on a committee and participate in service and fundraising activities. We invite you to attend our social events.
- Attendance – Rotarians are welcome at any of the 34,000 world-wide Rotary clubs. You may make up a missed meeting by attending a meeting at another club (including online), or by participating in one of our service projects, within two weeks before or after the missed meeting. There are two other clubs in Charlottesville, as well as clubs in Louisa, Fluvanna and other nearby locations.
- Qualifications for membership – Rotary International requires that members hold, or have previously held, a professional, proprietary, executive, managerial or community leadership position. Prospective members are sponsored by a current club member, and approved by the Club Board of Directors and membership.