Estate Living Digital Publication Issue 9 September 2015 | Page 62

ROTARY
Saluting a South African Institution

One hundred and ten years ago, on 23 February
1905, in the Unity Building in downtown Chicago,
Paul P Harris was creating charitable history with the
world’s first ever service organisation. Based on the
principle that an individual profits most when serving
others, the attorney wanted to provide a ‘service
above self’ and create a place where professionals
with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and
form meaningful, lifelong friendships.
Neil Armstrong, George W Bush, Margaret Thatcher
and Walt Disney himself are just some of the famous
Rotarians who, alongside ordinary citizens, provide
humanitarian services, encourage high ethical
standards and help build goodwill and p XX