Rotaract

Rotaract clubs bring together people (generally ages 18-30) to exchange ideas with leaders in the community, develop leadership and professional skills, and have fun through service. In communities worldwide, Rotary and Rotaract members work side by side to take action through service.

Rotaract originally began as a Rotary International youth program in 1968 and has grown into a major Rotary-sponsored organization of over 9,030 clubs spread around the world and 207,690 members. It is a service, leadership, and community service organization for young men and women between the ages of 18–30. Rotaract focuses on the development of young adults as leaders in their communities and workplaces. Clubs around the world also take part in international service projects in a global effort to bring peace and international understanding to the world.

“Rotaract” stands for “Rotary in Action”, although the name originally comes from a combination of “Rotary” and “Interact” (International + Action), the high school level program created by Rotary International in 1962.

District 7680 has 7 active Rotaract Clubs in West-Central North Carolina. 

HISTORY

In the late 1960s, noting the success of the recently formed Interact program, the RI Board realized the need for a program of service, activity, and fellowship for young adults no longer of Interact age (12-18). The name Rotaract (Rotary in Action) was selected to show the program’s close affiliation with both Rotary and Interact clubs.

RI President Luther Hodges inaugurated Rotaract in 1968, with the Rotaract Club of University of North Carolina-Charlotte, USA, being the first club. The club received its charter on 13 March and had 21 members.

Within a day of the certification of the Rotaract Club of the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, the Rotaract Club of the University of La Salle was chartered in Tacubaya, Mexico. The Rotaract clubs of Florence, Italy; Gaston College and Sylva, both in North Carolina; and Secunderabad, India, were all certified in the following weeks. Since the 1950s, many Rotary clubs had been starting unofficial clubs for young adults, so this fueled Rotaract’s rapid growth in its first few years. Rotaract grew from 21 clubs in 1967-68 to 289 clubs a year later.

There are now 7,000 Rotaract clubs in 163 countries and geographic areas.

Rotaract clubs were originally open to young men and women ages 17-24. Since 1991, young adults ages 18-30 have been welcomed.