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Rotary-Saipan celebrates 33 years
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Posted on Feb 23 2001
On February 23, 1905, Paul Harris, a Chicago lawyer, met with three friends to create an organization fostering fellowship between business people. They called this organization “Rotary,” because members met in rotation in their various places of business.
The club quickly gained membership and clubs began forming throughout the world. Ninety-six years later, there are approximately 1.2 million Rotary members involved in 29,000 Rotary Clubs working in 163 countries to help people in need.
Thirty-three years ago, on Feb. 16, 1968, the Rotary Club of Saipan was chartered by Rotary International with Mr. David M. Sablan as its first President.
Of the 37 charter members, only three of the original charter members — David M. Sablan, Elias Okumura, and Pedro JL. Igitol — are still involved with the club. Today the Rotary Club of Saipan is comprised of 55 members with Hermie S. Queja, general manager of Micronesian Brokers (CNMI), Inc., as its current president.
Rotary clubs are made up of men and women who want to improve their communities and the world. Rotary clubs around the world focus on projects that address a wide range of issues such as hunger, environmental concerns, illiteracy, drug abuse prevention, childhood immunization, and helping youth and the elderly.
Rotary’s largest and most ambitious humanitarians effort is the PoliPlus program, aimed to eradicate polio worldwide.
Established in 1985, the program allowed Rotary clubs to raise nearly $250 million for child immunization in developing countries, more than doubling the campaign goal.
By 2005, Rotary’s financial commitment will reach nearly a half billion US dollars. Each year millions of children are immunized against polio with the goal of certifying the world as polio-free in 2005.
