Past, Present & Future
“Who We Are – Rotary is a global network of 1.4 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.”
Rotary members believe that we have a shared responsibility to take action on our world’s most persistent issues. Our 46,000+ clubs work together to:
- Promote peace
- Fight disease
- Provide clean water, sanitation, and hygiene
- Save mothers and children
- Support education
- Grow local economies
- Protect the environment
The Rotary Mission
We provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through our fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.
About Rotary | Rotary International
The Rotary Club of Marlborough
The Marlborough Rotary Club was founded in 1922 as a businessmen’s civic organization. Its purpose followed the motto of Rotary International, “Service Above Self” and called upon those who joined to give of their time, skills, finances and goodwill to build a better world, starting right here at home. The Marlborough Rotary Club aimed to be an inclusive and diverse organization, trusting its members to support all kinds of service projects at home and abroad by leveraging a wide variety of skills, while building long-lasting friendships through fellowship. For the past 101 years, the Club has met weekly to plan and execute its many activities. Marlborough Rotary Club leaders have included mayors, bankers, scholars, doctors, mechanics, plumbers and electricians, small business owners, retirees, attorneys, teachers and superintendents, utility company executives and employees, non-profit leaders, hospital executives, city councilors and entrepreneurs. In 1989 women joined the ranks, and the first female president took the reins of the Club in 1997. In 1998 a high school club (called Interact) was started at Marlborough High. Being a Rotarian is also a family affair! Over the past century Marlborough Rotary Club has propelled Presidents’ children to follow in their parents’ footsteps to the Club Presidency and beyond, into civic and social leadership positions.
The Club invites speakers from the community, district, and the world to inform members about what is happening in the world. In response to the needs of the community of mankind, Marlborough Rotary Club’s 100 years of contributions include: annual recycling events; establishment of a Rotary Youth Leadership Academy for high school sophomores from 50 cities and towns; scholarship awards to graduating HS seniors in both academics and the trades; contributed annually to the library, high school music program, and food bank; assisted with clean water projects in Haiti and Africa; disaster relief through Shelter Box USA and directly to victims of mudslides, earthquakes, war and famine; blood drives; sponsorship of Marlborough kid’s baseball and softball teams; participation in annual festivals (Festival of Trees, Octoberfest; summer barbecue); participation in citywide clean-up and beautification days; built two children’s playgrounds; hosting international scholars and exchange students from around the world; local clothing, toiletries, toy and food collections and distribution; meals and food basket distribution at the holidays to seniors, needy families and veterans; annual collection of books for children to distribute worldwide; funded a family room and later, donation to the Cancer Center at UMass Memorial Marlborough Hospital; sent a team to Relay for Life events; donation of a defibrillator for the High School Field House; support of Girls, Inc. (computer lab), Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts; establishment of Interact Clubs at MHS, Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School, AMSA and now NEIA. Our members have travelled abroad as well, to international Rotary meetings; as part of a Group Study Exchange; Polio Eradication/Vaccination volunteers; to drill wells, build schools, deliver equipment, and promote world peace and understanding.
It is not all work, however! Rotary has produced musical revues featuring Rotarians as singers and dancers which attracted over 1,000 attendees; marched in the Labor Day Parade most years; traveled to Saratoga, NY as a club; hosted “Mystery Rides” to fun destinations; celebrated Super Bowl Sundays together; held barbecues for the community; hosted an annual inter-community Turkey Shoot just before Christmas attracting some 700 attendees; celebrated our 25th, 50th, 65th, 75th, 90th and 100th anniversaries at gala events; held wine and chocolate tastings and opened our hearts, homes and the club to welcome visitors and newcomers to Marlborough. Members who joined for business reasons become lifetime Rotarians for the fellowship! Several Rotarians have been honored for their service by being chosen as Grand Marshalls in the Labor Day Parade, reflecting their lifetime devotion to “Service Above Self.”
The Rotary International motto “Service About Self” calls upon members to be ever mindful of the needs of those less fortunate than themselves, in our City, State and indeed the World. Through fundraising events The Marlborough Rotary Club is able to support a number of service projects that address these community needs. Together as members we face the future embracing the opportunity to touch the lives of people we may never know, but with the satisfaction that comes from knowing that Rotary cares and took the time to do something.
We invite you to learn more about what the Club is doing today! Please click on www.marlboroughrotary.org for more information or join us for lunch any Thursday at noon at the Bolton Street Tavern, Rte. 85, Marlborough.
If you are interested in making the world a better place, you will be glad you did!
1922 Year In Review
President Harding introduces first radio in the White House
First successful insulin treatment for diabetes is administered
USS Langley is commissioned as the first U.S. aircraft carrier
Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. is dedicated
Michael Collins becomes president of the Irish Free State in January and is assassinated in August
The Rose Bowl sports stadium opens
Benito Mussolini becomes the youngest Prime Minister of Italy at the age of 39
The U.S.S.R. is formed
Rebecca Felton of Georgia becomes the first woman U.S. Senator
98 people die in the “Knickerbocker” snowstorm in Washington, D.C.
First slalom ski race takes place in Murren, Switzerland
First Reader’s Digest is published
Construction of Yankee Stadium begins
The American Professional Football Association is renamed the National Football League
The Holiday Bowl opens
Bill Tilden wins the US Men’s Tennis Championship
The first Technicolor film, ‘The Toll of the Sea’, premieres in New York City.
Marlborough Country Club established