00Enrolled SCR 2                                                                                                          
01 Proclaiming 2005 as Rotary International Year.                                                                          
02                                       _______________                                                                   
03 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                             
04      WHEREAS Rotary International traces its origins to meetings of philanthropic                                     
05 businessmen in Chicago beginning in February 1905; and                                                                  
06      WHEREAS Rotary International is the oldest organization of its kind in the world;                                
07 and                                                                                                                     
08      WHEREAS Rotary International has grown from a group of five men in Chicago to                                    
09 become represented by thousands of clubs and hundreds of thousands of men and women                                     
10 members throughout the world on every continent; and                                                                    
11      WHEREAS Rotary International is the only organization of its kind with offices in                                
12 the United Nations; and                                                                                                 
13      WHEREAS Rotary International leads the worldwide effort to eradicate polio; and                                  
14      WHEREAS Rotary International's service to youth and children and the promotion of                                
15 responsible leadership in the world is unsurpassed; and                                                                 
16      WHEREAS Rotary International has established and manages the Paul Harris                                         
17 Foundation, which has grown to become the largest foundation of its kind dedicated to the                               

01 promotion of world peace and international understanding by addressing major health and                                 
02 survival needs; and                                                                                                     
03      WHEREAS Rotary International's "Four Avenues of Service," consisting of club,                                    
04 vocational, community, and international service, tangibly, measurably, and meaningfully                                
05 result in daily improvements to the world in which we live; and                                                         
06      WHEREAS Rotary International's "Four-Way Test" provides a template of ethical                                    
07 and responsible behavior for businesses and individuals; and                                                            
08      WHEREAS the leadership of members of Rotary International is a model of                                          
09 leadership throughout national, regional, community, and local entities, providing a pool of                            
10 men and women who ascend to the highest levels of human endeavor; and                                                   
11      WHEREAS Rotary International's membership includes men and women of wide                                         
12 diversity, practices tolerance of religion, creed, race, ethnicity, culture, language, and                              
13 nationality, and is bound together in the mission of creating a safer, healthier, and more                              
14 peaceful world for humanity; and                                                                                        
15      WHEREAS Rotary International is a nonsectarian, apolitical, diversified, and                                     
16 philanthropic organization with the sole mission of "Service Above Self";                                               
17      BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature proclaims 2005 as Rotary                                        
18 International Year to be recognized through celebratory events, programs, projects, and                                 
19 ceremonies throughout the United States and the world in commemoration of 100 years of                                  
20 service above self by Rotarians everywhere.