The Rotary Movement was born on 23 February 1905 when a group of Chicago professionals and businessmen came together to discuss an idea to start a men’s club. Paul Harris was a young lawyer interested in a fellowship that could also take on civic projects which would serve the entire community.
The club met once a week during lunchtime as many of its members consisted of businessmen and professionals.
As the club only consisted of four members at a time, each member took a turn to host the club at their offices. Because the meeting venues rotated, the name ‘Rotary Club’ was born.
In 1907 the club officially launched its first community service project which was a public restroom near City Hall.
Almost 100 years later, the organisation has grown exponentially, becoming a worldwide household name.
The Sandton Rotary Club was founded on 10 June 1970 under the very same constitutions and by-laws as the Rotary Movement. In the early stages of the club, there were only four committees which would handle an array of services and projects.
“Sandton in the early days was a farming area, it was mainly residential. So because most of the guys worked in town [Johannesburg CBD] they did not meet during lunchtime, the met in the evening,” said Graham Katzenellenbogen.
Katzenellenbogen is the second-longest serving member at the club.
The club’s membership has since skyrocketed and the committees grew.
The club focuses on a number of different avenues which include community, vocational, international, club services, youth and environment.
“When we do a project, we don’t sustain it. We raise the money either through our own members or through sponsorships with companies – because we are businessmen we have contacts all over, we can raise the money,” Katzenellenbogen said.
One of the very first big projects undertaken by the club was the construction of an old age home in Alexandra.
The idea for the Itlhokomoleng Association for Aged and Disabled came about when community activist Sam Boti approached the club with a concern for the elderly.
Katzenellenbogen added that together with Boti, the club was able to draw up plans for the structure and raise the funds needed.
Today the old age home is solely managed by the ‘Mother Theresa of Alex’, Marjorie Manganye. The only involvement by the Rotary Club comes in the form of donations as people continue to contribute funds to the project. The club has since undertaken a number of projects aimed at the communities in and around Sandton.
One weekly meeting has had the power to impact hundreds of lives, young and old.
