Avenues of Service

Rotary is a global network of business, professional, and community volunteers. Our motto, SERVICE ABOVE SELF, embodies our humanitarian spirit. To help guide our club activities, Rotary has established five “Avenues of Service“:

• Through CLUB SERVICE, we have fun, build lasting friendships, and make sure that our club runs well. We volunteer our individual skills where our expertise is most needed – whether that is serving on committees, planning or participating in club activities or donating our services to improve our club as a whole.
• Through Vocational Service, we volunteer our professional skills to serve others and promote integrity in everything we do. Rotarians are expected to adhere to and promote high ethical standards in all their business dealings, recognize the worthiness of all useful occupations, and contribute their professional expertise and skills to addressing societal problems and needs.
• Through Community Service, we address local needs and work with our community to bring lasting improvements. From providing financial support to worthy local organizations to providing a dedicated volunteer workforce for community improvement projects, the saying “Rotarians At Work” epitomizes our belief that community service is one of the most important foundations of our club.
• Through International Service, we meet humanitarian needs around the globe and promote world understanding and peace. Rotarians who answer the call for International Service may choose to sponsor a project in another country, seek international project partners to support projects in their own communities, or personally volunteer at an international project site.
• Through New Generations Service, we work with young people to help them become the next generation of leaders, visionaries, and peacemakers. We support the positive change implemented by youth and young adults through leadership development activities, service projects, and creating international understanding.

Rotary clubs serve communities around the world, each with unique concerns and needs. Rotarians have continually adapted and improved the way they respond to those needs, taking on a broad range of service projects. The most successful and sustainable Rotary service tends to fall within one of the following seven areas:

• Peace and conflict prevention/resolution

• Disease prevention and treatment

• Water and sanitation

• Maternal and child health

• Basic education and literacy

• Economic and community development

• Environment

Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation recognize these seven areas of focus as organizational priorities, and there are countless ways that Rotarians can address these needs locally and internationally.