The Rotary Club of Swansea, Illinois was organized as a provisional club in November 2001 and held its first election of officers on Dec. 27, 2001. On Feb. 28, 2002 the club was issued its charter by Rotary International, becoming the forty-third club in District 6510. On March 11, 2002 the club was qualified by the Illinois Secretary of State as a not-for-profit corporation.

As its first service project, in December 2001 Swansea Rotary's members served as bell ringers for the Salvation Army at Schnuck's Market in Swansea. Since then, the club has inaugurated a variety of programs to serve the community and in particular its young people. These projects include, among others during the 2005-2006 Rotary year:

• Marion African Wells-$2000
• Swansea Youth Government Council-$300
• Rotary Foundation-$4500
• Books to Belize-$5000
• Southern Illinois Hospice- $550
• Belleville Community Development Corporation-$500
• St. Clair Valley Rotary-$100
• Rotary Club of Sparta-$500
• Chad Wood Memorial Scholarship-$3000
• United Way-$50
• Malawi Text Books-$125
• Swansea Rotary Food Pantry-$3010
• Salvation Army-$50
• Youth Exchange Program-$550
• Cataract Program-$2000
• Belize Children's Program- $315
• Ambassadorial Scholar-$200
• Polio Plus-$2500
• People to People-$100
• Sloan Speech Contest-$125
• RYLA-$250

Swansea Rotary's participation in the Rotary Foundation's Polio Plus is particularly satisfying. The program, which has been called Rotary International's "greatest achievement to date," is within reach of its goal of complete eradication of polio.

The Rotary Club of Swansea conducts its membership meetings on Thursdays at 7:30 a.m. at Clinton Hill Country Club, 3700 Old Collinsville Road, in Swansea. Each meeting includes a featured speaker except the last meeting of the month, which is devoted to business matters. The club is governed by a Board of Directors, which meets monthly.

Membership in Rotary affords many benefits, including cultivation of business and professional relationships, developing leadership skills, continuing education through weekly presentations by community leaders, and the opportunity to serve one's community and be a part of humanitarian programs unmatched in their scope by any service organization.

The Rotary Club of Swansea, Illinois welcomes you!