Rotary 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 in the world. In more than 160 countries worldwide, approximately 1.2 million Rotarians belong to more than 30,000 Rotary clubs.

Rotary was founded by Paul Harris in Chicago in 1905.

Our club was chartered in August of 1979 with 21 members. Six of the original members continue to be active in the club. We have over 50 members with most of them working and living in the North St. Paul/Maplewood/Oakdale area.

Club Service

The administration of our organization is the responsibility of Club Service. These responsibilities include attendance, membership, fellowship activities, public relations, Sergeant-at-Arms, the weekly program, and bulletin, This avenue of service enables the club to thrive and better fulfill the objectives of Rotary.

Vocational Service

Providing career information and generally attempting to improve trade and professional relations is the focus of Vocational Service. Specifically, North St. Paul/Maplewood/Oakdale Rotary has been involved with our Student of the Month program, our scholarship program, as well as donations to Northeast Metro Technical Foundation, Century College Foundation and Camp Enterprise.

Community Service

This is the avenue of Rotary which provides Rotarian services to the community and raises funds for distribution to community organizations, i.e. Scouting, Salvation Army, YMCA, Food Shelf, Homeless Shelter, etc. Funds are distributed to these groups upon request on an annual basis after the need is reviewed and approved by the committee and the Board of Directors of the Club. We have a weekly raffle that benefits the local emergency food shelf.

International Service

The purpose of Rotary International Service is to advance international understanding, goodwill and peace. The North St. Paul/Maplewood/Oakdale Rotary Club actively promotes these ideals by:

• Sponsoring in-coming and out-going exchange students between the ages of 16 and 18 in the Youth Exchange Program.
• Hosting Group Study Exchange programs for adult business/professional people.
• Contributing funds to club sponsored or Rotary District sponsored "World Community Service" projects (fresh water wells, medical supplies, schools, sanitation, etc.).
• Contributing annually to the Paul Harris Foundation which supports needy projects world wide and provides scholarships for college age student studying abroad.