The Rotary motto "Service Above Self" conveys the humanitarian spirit of the organization’s more than 1.2 million members. Strong fellowship among Rotarians and meaningful community and international service projects characterize Rotary worldwide.
Service of the Rotary Club of Salisbury
Consistent with Rotary’s Motto of “Service Above Self”, here are our Programs and Projects
1. The signature focus of the Rotary Club of Salisbury is its effort towards youth advancement and education that has historical roots for our club. This focus brought to being the Rotary Scholarship Trust Fund that provides non discriminatory scholarships to Rowan County youth planning to attend college. This endowed fund that has grown to roughly $700,000 and the earnings provide grants totaling more than $20,000 each year for study at Livingstone, Catawba and Rowan Cabarrus Community College. The funds are developed through Trusteeships (a minimum $500 contribution in honor or in memory of someone) and most recently through an annual raffle held in May of each year. Members are asked to sell or purchase at least three $100 tickets.
2. Annually the Rotary Club of Salisbury recognizes the Junior Rotarians, the top 14 academically of the senior class at Salisbury High School. Each student gives a 5 minute speech on a significant experience that has impacted their lives. Several weeks later the students then select a question from among a number posed by the Rotarians and provide a response at another meeting at Rotary. These programs are among the most interesting for the year and give members a wonderful feeling about the capability and aspirations of Salisbury students.
4. A more recent effort is the Honor Air Project. The Rotary Club of Salisbury has supported Honor Air Flights for WWII veterans to travel to the WWII Memorial in Washington DC. The support covers the veterans travel costs as well as providing guides that assist those that need any help as some are in wheel chairs or have other disabilities. Two were were supported in 2009, two in 2010 and one in 2011.
5. The Rotary Club of Salisbury raised roughly $17,000 for the 100th anniversary of Rotary International for a Project that would recognize Rotary locally. With considerable additional donations and
In conjunction with the City of Salisbury a Patriots Flag and Memorial Concourse was dedicated in the spring of 2012.
6. Annually the Rotary Club of Salisbury mans the Salvation Army Kettles at Christmas at the local Walmart and Kmart. Traditionally, among the service clubs providing similar assistance Rotary raises the most money, typically $5000 to $10,000 or more.
7. The Rotary Club of Salisbury has two socials each year. One typically in February that includes spouses of Rotarians typically held at the F&M Trolley Barn and more recently at Piedmont Players Meroney Theater when we sponsor a show and the other is the Rotary Scholarship Trust Fund Raffle in May.
8. Group Study Exchange is a cultural and vocational change opportunity for young business and professional non-Rotarians to develop professional and leadership skills to prepare them to address the needs of their communities in an increasingly global world. The Rotary Club of Salisbury most recently hosted a group from India in 2002. More recent exchanges within our district include Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Caribbean, England, Taiwan, Egypt and this year is Brazil.
9. The Rotary Club of Salisbury also participates in and donates to a number of other local, regional and international projects including Polio Plus, Coins for Alzheimer’s Research, the Salisbury Rotary Tennis Tournament and many other causes. Polio Plus is a project of Rotary International, the umbrella organization that seeks to eradicate Polio world wide.
