What is Dracut Rotary?

The Dracut Rotary Club was chartered on January 17, 1970. With 23 members, the club inaugurated its commitment to "service above self" taking leadership roles in Dracut's United Fund Drive and Crime Check Program. These charter members soon took the lead in community based fund raising efforts to assist the elderly, youth and families in need.

The club carried this commitment to those in need in our nation and around the world, sending aid to mid-west flood victims, helping to bring water and electricity to hundreds of families in rural Haiti and joining the fight to eliminate polio worldwide.

What is Rotary International?

Rotary Club Members are business professional leaders who volunteer in their communities and promote world understanding and peace. Rotary's 31,000 clubs in more than 165 countries and regions encourage high ethical standards and carry out humanitarian projects to address such issues as poverty, health, hunger, education and the environment.

Founded in Chicago in 1905 as the world's first volunteer service organization, Rotary quickly expanded around the globe. Clubs meet weekly for fellowship to discuss local and global topics. Clubs are non-religous, non-governmental, and open to every race, culture and creed.

The 4-Way Test

From the earliest days of the organization, Rotarians were concerned with promoting high ethical standards in their professional lives. One of the world's most widely printed and quoted statements of business ethics is The Four-Way Test, which was created in 1932 by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor (who later served as RI president) when he was asked to take charge of a company that was facing bankruptcy.

This 24-word test for employees to follow in their business and professional lives became the guide for sales, production, advertising, and all relations with dealers and customers, and the survival of the company is credited to this simple philosophy. Adopted by Rotary in 1943, The Four-Way Test has been translated into more than a hundred languages and published in thousands of ways. It asks the following four questions:

"Of the things we think, say or do:

1. Is it the TRUTH?

2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?

3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?

4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?