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ROTARY INTERNATIONAL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 23, 1905
After setting up his law practice in Chicago, Paul P. Harris gathered several business associates to discuss the idea of forming an organization for local professionals. On 23 February 1905 Harris, Gustavus Loehr, Silvester Schiele, and Hiram Shorey gathered at Loehr’s office in Room 711 of the Unity Building in downtown Chicago. This was the first Rotary club meeting. Our 1.2 million-member organization started with the vision of one man—Paul P. Harris. The Chicago attorney formed one of the world’s first service organizations, the Rotary Club of Chicago, on 23 February 1905 as a place where professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships. Rotary’s name came from the group’s early practice of rotating meetings among the offices of each member.
THE ROTARY CLUB OF GUELPH BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 23, 1920
On February 23, 1920, 25 Guelph businessmen held an organizational meeting to form a new Rotary Club. Under the leadership of Alex Stewart (a Guelph pharmacist), the club was officially chartered on April 9, 1920 at the Royal Canadian Cafe. Over the years, the RCOG met at different locations for the weekly meetings. Moves from one location to another were usually prompted by changes in membership numbers.
The RCOG went on to sponsor the following nine clubs:
- Kitchener, 1922
- Orangeville, 1936
- Acton, 1947
- Drayton, 1950
- Georgetown, 1955
- Fergus, 1966
- Guelph Wellington, 1986
- Guelph Trillium, 1995
- Guelph South, 2003