Welcome
The Rotary Club of Ottawa, serving its community since 1916:
The charter of the Rotary Club of Ottawa is dated May 1, 1916 making it the 221st club in Rotary International out of 247 Rotary Clubs established by June, 1916. There were 27,000 Rotarians worldwide at that time.
In a message to the Rotary Club of Ottawa, in 1916, Paul P. Harris, the founder of Rotary said: "Rotary is a result of evolutionary processes of civilization. It's coming was more than opportune; it was necessary. The forces contributing to the making of Rotary have been gathering themselves together during generations past. Rotary has long been inevitable."
1916 -- The establishment of the first service club in the Ottawa -- the Rotary Club of Ottawa -- with 67 charter members. Meetings were held weekly at the Chateau Laurier. War-time fund-raising activities were mainly devoted to supporting the Overseas YMCA.
1916 -- The establishment of the first service club in the Ottawa -- the Rotary Club of Ottawa -- with 67 charter members. Meetings were held weekly at the Chateau Laurier. War-time fund-raising activities were mainly devoted to supporting the Overseas YMCA.
1921 -- The Rotary Club of Ottawa hosted the first District Conference of Rotary Clubs, with delegates attending from other Rotary Clubs in Eastern Ontario, Western Quebec and Northern New York State. The president of Rotary International was the principal guest speaker.
1922 -- The Rotary Club of Ottawa formed its Crippled Children's Committee, beginning an ongoing club focus to meet the needs of physically disadvantaged individuals.
1931 -- The Rotary Club of Ottawa co-sponsored the formation of the Eastern Ontario Council for the Society for Crippled Children so as to expand support activities outside of Ottawa.
1939 -- The Rotary Club of Ottawa established its War Services Committee. Among its subsequent contributions were a mobile canteen and clothing to war-torn civilians in England. A "Victory House" was built on Madawaska Drive and raffled off for the Club's charities.
1947 -- A site for a summer campsite for crippled children was purchased on the Big Rideau Lake by the Rotary Club of Ottawa and other Rotary Clubs in the district. "Camp Merrywood" was opened in the following year.
1948 -- The Rotary Club of Ottawa became the agent for the Ontario Society for Crippled Children and initiated and operated the annual Easter Seal Campaign. This arrangement continued for 50 years until 1998.
1951 -- The Rotary Club of Ottawa established its annual "Adventure in Citizenship" Program in which some 220 senior high school students, from across Canada, spend four days in Ottawa experiencing tours, lectures, discussions and social events designed to enhance their understanding and appreciation of Canadian citizenship. Public figures including former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson, the Right Hon. Joe Clark, and the Hon. Ed Broadbent participated in the program as students.
1964 -- The Rotary Club of Ottawa established a fund leading to the creation of the Ottawa Children's Treatment Centre.
1981 -- The Rotary Club of Ottawa built the Ottawa Rotary Home, a respite care facility for families with severely disabled children.
1983 -- The Rotary Club of Ottawa initiated and operated the annual Easter Seal Telethon.
1986 -- The Rotary Club of Ottawa inaugurated special fundraising activities in support of the Rotary Foundation's "Polio Plus" program to eradicate polio and five other vaccine-preventable diseases throughout the world.
Over the years the Rotary Club of Ottawa has sponsored the formation of some 20 other Rotary Clubs, including a number within Ottawa. In recent years, it has also sponsored the following local clubs:
1999 -- The Probus Club of Ottawa, which offers a series of lectures and discussions for retired people.
2000 -- The Interact Club, a service club for students attending Lisgar Collegiate Institute.
2001 -- The Rotaract Club, a service club for students attending the University of Ottawa, Carleton University, and young professionals working in Ottawa.
2023 -- After two years of COVID, Adventure in Citizenship was back and in person (no longer online) and was held for the first time at the University of Ottawa. A tremendous success, as you can see on video!