Why wear the Rotary pin?
Posted
on Sep 01, 2014
Rotarians do seem to have pins for everything. But why? The first lapel pin in Rotary was created in 1909 for the Rotary Club of New York. It wasn't given to every member, only the club's president wore the first pin. After he left office in 1911, the pin changed forms a few times. Today, it depicts the official Rotary emblem. Now all Rotarians are encouraged to wear pins, if not for a specific program or club, at least for Rotary in general to show pride and membership. But exclusive pins are still around, such as those given to Paul Harris Fellows or handed down in individual clubs, such as the Rotary Club of Laredo, Texas. In Laredo, as a nod to the club's roots, the president proudly wears a pin passed down from its first district governor. Pins also have been popular fundraising tools, such as fining people who don't wear their pins to meetings. The pins provide some of the best publicity in the world for Rotary.