Dear Rotarian friends,

109 years ago in a frosty evening in February, the young lawyer from Chicago, Paul Harris, invited three of his friends – the mining engineer Gustavus E. Loehr, the coal merchant Silvester Schele and the prospering in the tailoring business at the time Hiram Shorey. At first glance, the reason was too mundane – he felt quite lonely in the big city and shared with them the idea to create together a man’s club in which a representative of every business and profession would be a member.

Dear Rotarian friends,
 
109 years ago in a frosty evening in February, the young lawyer from Chicago, Paul Harris, invited three of his friends – the mining engineer Gustavus E. Loehr, the coal merchant Silvester Schele and the prospering in the tailoring business at the time Hiram Shorey. At first glance, the reason was too mundane – he felt quite lonely in the big city and shared with them the idea to create together a man’s club in which a representative of every business and profession would be a member. This historical meeting was held at Loehr’s office (room 711) in the Unity Building.
The pioneers have hardly imagined that one day their idea would capture the minds of more than 1.2 m men and women around the world and Rotary would become the biggest humanitarian non-governmental organization in the world. What is more – it will gain the highest status which could be gained by a non-governmental organization – a consultant at the UN. The same organization which at the time of its formation had around 50 delegates who were Rotary members.
Every year on February 23^rd we celebrate the anniversary of the establishment of our organization. Let us appropriately celebrate now as well! Let us be together on this day! Let us celebrate knowing that on all continents, friends from 34 000 Rotary clubs are doing the same. Let us proudly display our success in front of the community in which we live. Let us share ideas for future projects. Let us support the young people of Bulgaria in their development. And in the end let us feel that we are really wealthy because we are part of the big World Rotarian family.
And of course let us not forget that our family has one constant, integral, huge goal – the final eradication of polio around the world.  It is so close but it still needs small efforts from each and every one of us. Recently, during the official visit of the DG of D2420 Turkey - Haluk Ulusoy  - we were united by the idea that if every Rotarian donates even only the amount equal to the value of a glass of wine offered at the night of the celebration, the amount which the two districts will send to the End Polio fund will be respectable. And appreciated highly by the Rotarians around the world. An example of how two neighboring Districts on the Balkans can work successfully for the peace and prosperity of the entire humanity.
Therefore, my friends, I raise my glass to our 109^th birthday and I leave my glass unfinished so that together we manage to change the lives and fortune of many children and their families around the world.
And once again, let us show that with Rotary we change lives!
 
Yours in Rotary,
Valentin Stoyanov, DG 2013/14
District 2482, Bulgaria