Rotary International is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace worldwide.
Rotarians – a diverse group of professional leaders working to address community and international service needs – are the force that allows Rotary to carry out its many humanitarian efforts in the world. Through community service and other means, Rotary club members help promote peace and understanding throughout the world.
Why join Rotary?
Rotary clubs strive to maintain a membership that is an up-to-date and progressive representation of their community’s business, vocational and professional interests. Membership in Rotary offers many benefits, including:
- Participating in your community.
- Developing leadership skills.
- Working on international humanitarian issues.
- Meeting community and business leaders.
- Fellowship opportunities.
We’re a small, intimate group with approximately 40-45 people in attendance at any one meeting, which makes it very easy to fit in and get involved.
Our Programs
What does PPRC do besides listen to great programs over breakfast?
Fellowship is a Cornerstone: We build fellowship though our weekly meetings, frequent social events (holiday dinner, summer picnic, monthly social hours after work) and by working on community service projects and serving on committees.
Community Service: Projects servingour community are at the core of PPRC’s commitment to “Service AboveSelf.” Examples include delivering “Meals on Wheels,” preparing andserving meals through TransitionsProject to homeless men, and removing graffiti in the Pearl.
Local Support: As a partner to OpenMeadow School in North Portland, we work with school leaders and students and invest in their programs to help reduce our community’s high dropout rate. PPRC also extends support tonot-for-profit organizations.
Our partners have included Albertina Kerr Centers, Zimmerman Community Center, Boy Scouts, Multnomah CountyL ibrary Foundation, Loaves and Fishes, EcoTrust, Portland Center Stage, NWI nternational Hostel, Pearl District Business Association, Pearl District Neighborhood Association, CHAP(Children’s Healing Art Project).
Friendship is a cornerstone: We build club fellowship through our weekly meetings, frequent social events (holiday social,summer picnic, monthly social hours after work),and by working together on community and world service projects.
International Projects: Recent projects include service in Costa Rica,Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras,Uganda, Ethiopia and Fiji. Our areas of focus are health and clean water, education and youth programs.
Youth Exchange: Every year PPR Chosts an inbound high school student from one of 25 countries abroad and sends a local student overseas. We also regularly sponsor or host graduate students through the Rotary Foundation’s programs.
Club Interaction: We pride ourselves in activities that are fun and inform members about each other. Our “Rotarian of the Day” talks are an opportunity to learn about each other’s lives. We have a “Business of the Day” talk. We recently began a “Helping Hands” project, offering professional and business guidance to members.
Recent Accomplishments
Earned a Rotary Foundation grant to outfit a culinary teaching kitchen at Suri women’s center in San Jose, Costa Rica; a new grant (‘11) installs computers for young women at the same site.
Used a Rotary Foundation grant to equip a teaching kitchen at a community center/grade school in Perquin, Morozan, El Salvador.
Supported Rotary International’s worldwide goal: polio eradication.
Sponsored a Rotary high school Interact service club at Portland’s Lincoln High School. For their community service achievements, we monthly honor Lincoln High School students and annually award a scholarship to a graduating senior.
Sponsored the Portland State University Rotaract Club.
Distributed free dictionaries to Portland Public School third graders to enrich their education.
What we expect of our members
“Service Above Self” does involve Club expectations:
Attendance. PPRC members are expected to attend a minimum of 50% of our weekly meetings (Tuesdays at 7:15 a.m. in the Ecotrust Bldg. in the Pearl), or to make up at other Rotary Clubs in the area. Club functions (committee meetings, service projects) also count as attendance. Each PPRC member is expected to be active on one or more committees to carry out service projects.
Contributions. PPRC’s dues structure and fund-raising participation:
- Initiation (one-time, new members only)………….. $150*
- Annual Club dues (payable in July)………………. $200**
- Pearl Fund (member participation)……………….. $100***
- Rotary Foundation……………………………… $100***
- Rotarian of the Day…………………………….. $25
* Waived for new members under 35
** $125/yr. for members under 35
*** Suggested annual contribution to club’s non-profit RI’s worldwide fund.
Other member expenses include: Tuesday meal/room rent charge of $12/week; weekly “Brag for a Buck”; ad hoc PPRC project contributions.