About Us

What Our Phoenix West Rotary Club is All About!

What is Rotary? Rotary is a global network of 1.2 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 was founded as a networking organization for top business leaders in Chicago, Illinois more than 110 years ago. Currently more than 33,000 Rotary clubs are in action in over 200 countries. Rotary clubs use their passion, energy, and intelligence to take action on sustainable projects. From literacy and peace to water and health, we are always working to better our world, and we stay committed to the end.

The Phoenix West Rotary Club is an organization of business leaders, professionals and retirees. Having found success in our own lives and businesses, we come together to find ways of giving back to our communities on local, national and international levels. It is also important to us that we continue to educate and better ourselves by listening to and meeting with great speakers, educators, non-profit organizations, elected officials and business leaders.

Friendship and fellowship are important facets of the Phoenix West Rotary Club. Our members become our good friends, those which we can count on, travel with, and get together with outside of Rotary as well. Our Phoenix West Club was established in 1962, and in 2005-06, the Phoenix MidTown and Phoenix Thunderbird clubs merged to become the club we know today. Through weekly lunch meetings, held each Thursday at noon, committee meetings, service projects and social functions, you will feel the fellowship and camaraderie of this exciting club. Your active involvement is your responsibility and you must be committed to that involvement which is your ticket to a highly-rewarding Rotary experience.

Friends throughout the world! Rotarians are encouraged to visit other clubs when they travel. Attending a weekly meeting in Atlanta, Ontario, Bangkok or Rome is almost a surreal opportunity to meet new friends, which sometimes leads to working together on service projects or even developing business relationships. Rotarians are friendly and like-minded throughout the world in that we are all committed to running our lives and businesses according to Rotary’s “4-Way Test”. These are four common-sense questions against which we can judge things that we think, say or do…

1. Is it the truth? 

2. Is it fair to all concerned? 

3. Will it build good will and better friendships?

4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?


Service Opportunities:

Besides attending weekly meetings, Rotary offers numerous opportunities throughout the year to serve both locally and abroad. One day, you might find yourself bell-ringing for a few hours at the local supermarket for the Salvation Army and the next month you might decide to travel with a Rotary group to a small town in Mexico delivering Rotary-funded wheelchairs to the needy. Or perhaps you'd prefer to take a month off and lead a small delegation of young professionals to Taiwan to learn from and teach others in their field of work. With over 34,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries, there are plenty of opportunities for you to help make a difference in this world. It's all up to you. You get out of Rotary as much as you put into it.

 
Club Service:

Members are required to serve on various committees to help our club function in a businesslike manner (e.g. attendance, selling raffle tickets, securing programs, greeting guests, etc.)

 
Community Service:

You will be expected to participate in various service projects such as working at the Desert Mission Food Bank or Sojourner Center, ringing bells for Salvation Army at Christmas, participating in Done-in-a-Day projects, supporting the Children's Angel Foundation Thrift Store, and other "hands-on" service projects.

 
Vocational Service:

You are expected to be a representative of your vocation or profession and work to encourage high ethical standards at all times. We strive to give dignity to all vocations and seek out individuals to benefit from the Arizona Rotary Vocational Fund as well as to support it. You will be expected to live by Rotary's Four-Way Test.

 
International Service:

Serving as a host family for a Gift of Life family, exchange student or a visiting Group Study Exchange member give you the opportunity to help promote world understanding and goodwill. Supporting and helping with Matching Grants provide opportunities to help in humanitarian projects and promoting world peace. Helping to provide wheelchairs to needy persons in Mexico has been another ongoing club project.

 
New Generations:

The Avenue of New Generations recognizes the positive change implemented by youth and young adults involved in leadership development activities, community and international service projects, and exchange programs that enrich and foster world peace and cultural understanding.

 
We hope you will enter into the spirit of Rotary as a member of our club!