By: Jessica Susolik

SRotary International is over a century old. It was founded in Chicago on Feb 23, 1905, with the purpose of bringing together diverse professionals to exchange ideas and form lifelong friendships based on community connections and service. In 1907, the members of Rotary began their first service project – providing public bathrooms to relieve sanitation problems. In 1908, a second club was added in San Francisco. By 1910, there were 16 clubs nationwide.

At the 1911 Rotary convention, the motto “Service Above Self” was adopted, and it is still in place today. In 1912, Rotary became international with clubs in Canada and Europe. Today, with over 46,000 clubs worldwide, “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.org

Rotary Club of Newport Beach was founded in 2018 by current President Steve Bender. Steve was asked by Rotary International leadership to start the Newport Beach club based on his many visionary projects like the “Doc in A Box” concept. Doc In a Box is a medical clinic inside a 20 foot shipping container supporting medical, educational and housing needs in underserved communities worldwide. The first Doc In a Box served an AIDS community in Nkandla, South Africa, and ultimately became the catalyst for Steve’s relationship with Rotary.

Unique to Rotary Club of Newport Beach is the number of non-local members that it has. Meeting online has provided an easy place for community leaders across the world to participate in meaningful projects that serve local and global needs.

The club’s banner essentially serves as its mission statement, displaying the four numbers 4, 7, 8 and 17.

The number 4 represents The 4 Way Test embraced by all Rotarians, which asks the following questions of all potential projects: Is it the TRUTH? Is it FAIR to all concerned? Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

The number 7 represents the Rotary’s Seven Areas of Service: promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene, saving mothers and children, supporting education, growing local economies, and supporting the environment. This year, club president, Steve Bender, honored Past Rotary International Presidents Mark Maloney and Ian Risely for all of their efforts to create the Environment as Rotary’s 7th Area of Focus.

The number 8, represents the Eight Pillars of Positive Peace: well-functioning government, sound business environment, acceptance of the rights of others, good relations with neighbors, free flow of information, high levels of human capital, low levels of corruption and equitable distribution of resources.

Finally, the number 17 has significant importance to the Rotary Club of Newport Beach, as the chapter was founded with the distinct purpose of creating projects designed around the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The 17 goals are: no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure, reduced inequality, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water, life on land, peace, justice and strong institutions, and finally partnerships for the goals.

By way of example, the partnership between Rotary and the United Nations is a profound one, as Rotarians were involved in drafting the United Nations Charter in 1945. Today, Rotary holds the highest consultative status held by a nongovernmental organization in the UN’s Economic and Social Council, which guides many UN agencies. Rotary and the United Nations continue in their partnership working together towards peace and addressing humanitarian issues around the globe.

There are abundant opportunities for people passionate about service to choose from when considering membership in the Rotary Club of Newport Beach. Membership requirements are the embodiment of “Service Above Self” and being a person of action while also demonstrating significant past volunteer involvement. Some of the current club projects are Democracy In A Box, Agents of Influence and the Rotary Reef Program.

Democracy in a Box was created to host events enriching civic knowledge and participation through vibrant conversations, bridging ideological division with civility. In association with different kinds of organizations and groups, such as schools and clubs, Democracy In A Box is able to facilitate conversations that unite people and remind us that we are more alike than we are different.

Agents of Influence is a video game project teaching students to neutralize misinformation by selecting a spy avatar and joining a s ecret student spy organization dedicated to sniffing out the truth. The game is currently in development and is set to be released in 2023.

The Rotary Reef Program is part of the Rotary Club of Newport Beach’s 30-year plan to help save our planet by placing six-foot, man-made reefs made out of steel and low alkaline concrete in Bocas del Toro, Panama. This reef project also helps fund the Rotary Reef Seed Bank, which builds seed bank aquariums and rehabilitates sick coarals, breeding them and then placing the healthy reefs back into the water. The program was designed to be duplicatable and implemented all over the world. Environmental projects are of the highest priority with the club. They have recently aligned with EarthX, the largest environmental conference in the world. In May, club members met with Rotarians from San Francisco and the Central Coast in Panama to set a Rotary Reef and plant Almendro trees for their 2030 goal of re-introducing the Great Green Macaw back into the area.

If volunteering around the globe sounds interesting, The Rotary Club of Newport Beach has partnered with “Volunteer Tourism” programs offering global discounts for volunteers. Doctors, divers, environmentalists, and Rotarians wanting to participate in Rotary Mission’s around the globe have an opportunity to serve while seeing the world.

With more global partnerships worldwide than any other Rotary club in the world, there is something for everyone at the Rotary Club of Newport Beach. Whatever your service passion may be, there is an opportunity for you. Visit rotaryglobalserviceclub.org for more information. #notyourgrandfathersrotaryclub

“I’m really proud of the Newport Beach club, as their focus is not just in their backyard but the entire globe. Their focus includes environmental, health and well-being, and the fact that they work so closely with the Rotoract, younger Rotarian members, is very laudable. The sheer volume of projects they do is extremely impressive.” Dan Ouweleen, District Governor Rotary Orange County ub-Heading Goes Here (if you have one)