Paul P. Harris, a lawyer, founded Rotary in Chicago, Illinois on February 23, 1905. On that day, Paul met with three friends – Silvester Schiele, a coal dealer; Gustavus E. Loehr, a mining engineer; and Hiram E. Shorey, a merchant tailor.
The three friends met in rotation at the offices in their respective work places; hence the name ROTARY was adopted. The original intent was to promote fellowship among local business leaders but soon the purpose evolved into that of service to others.
In 1911, Rotary became international establishing clubs in Canada, England and Ireland. The first International Convention was held in Atlanta in 1917.
Today there are more than 1.3 million Rotarian’s in 33, 000 clubs worldwide.
The Rotary Club of Paulding County was chartered on March 13, 1969. As of March 13, 2009, the Rotary Club of Paulding County still has one of its charter members. That member is Earl Duncan. He has perfect attendance and has not missed a single District Conference.

The first four Rotarians, from left, Gustavus Loehr, Silvester Schiele, Hiram Shorey, and Paul P. Harris. (Photo courtesy of Rotary Images)

Rotary International

Rotary International is governed by a president and a board of directors elected from all over the world each year. Rotary International governs all of its members which are the individual Rotary Clubs but each club remains an autonomous group.
The Rotary Club of Paulding County is a part of Rotary International, and as such, supports the many projects of the Rotary throughout the world.
There are approximately 33,000 clubs within 530 districts worldwide. Each district elects a new governor every year.
The Rotary Club of Paulding County is in District 6900. District 6900 is known worldwide for being one of the top producers of service projects and contributions to the Rotary Foundation.

Individual Rotary Clubs

Every Rotary Club is basically the same but distinctively different because of the emphasis of service placed in the local community.
Each club’s active membership is based on having one representative of each business or profession within the community. This allows the membership to recognize all useful local occupations and to make the club a “cross section” of the community. The “classification” principle is to provide a fellowship of service, within the community, based on diversity and interest of the club’s members.

To make the Paulding Rotary Club of Paulding County successful, regular attendance at weekly meetings is one of the conditions of membership. Attendance is a statutory condition of membership.
Unexcused absences of four (4) consecutive meetings automatically terminates your membership. If you miss a meeting or know you are going to be out of town during a meeting, you have two weeks prior and two weeks after the date you missed to make up your absence at any Rotary Club.

A member must remain present at a meeting for a least sixty (60) percent of time to be counted “present”. A member is required to attend thirty (30) percent of the meetings at his/her home club.

Objects of Rotary

• FIRST
  The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service.
• SECOND
  High ethical standards in business and professions, the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying of each Rotarian of his occupation as an opportunity to serve society.
• THIRD
  The application of the ideal of service by every Rotarian to his personal, business and community life.
• FOURTH
  The advancement of international understanding, good will, and peace through a world of fellowship of business and professional men and women united in an ideal of service.

Cornerstone of Rotary

THE FOUR WAY TEST of the things we think, say or do:

1. First…   Is it the TRUTH?
2. Second…   Is it FAIR TO ALL CONCERNED?
3. Third…   Will it BUILD GOOD WILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Fourth…   Will it be BENEFICIAL TO ALL CONCERNED?

Paul Harris Sustaining Member  |  Paul Harris Fellow  |  Paul Harris Society

MISSION:
To enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty.

In 1917, the sixth International President of Rotary, Arch Klump, proposed an endowment “for the purpose of dong good in the world” at the first International Rotary Convention in Atlanta, GA. After the death of Rotary’s founder Paul Harris in 1947, Rotarians around the world made contributions to the Rotary Foundation. The Foundation later decided to honor Paul Harris by recognizing donors that contribute gifts to the Foundation.

PAUL HARRIS SUSTAINING MEMBER:
Rotary member who contributes $100.00 per year to the Foundation.

PAUL HARRIS FELLOW:
Rotary member who has contributes $1,000.00 to the Foundation.

PAUL HARRIS SOCIETY:
Rotary member who contributes $1,000.00 per year for 10 years.

Each year, the Rotary Foundation funds:

1. Ambassadorial Scholarships - for study abroad.
2. Group Study Exchange
3. Matching Grants – money contributed comes directly back to the district.
4. Polio Plus – to eradicate polio worldwide.
5. Health, Hunger and Humanity Grants (93-H) – encourages prevention rather than cure and self-help rather than charity.
6. Grants for university teachers.

$100 million was donated by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Rotary was challenged to match it. In January 2009, the Gates Foundation contributed another $255 million and again asked Rotary to raise another $100 million over three years. The resulting $555 million will go directly to the eradication of polio.
Since 1985, $1.2 billion has been contributed to PolioPlus. Two billion children have been immunized because of this effort. Over 5 million people did not get polio.

Will Watt Sustaining Member  |  Will Watt Fellow

The Georgia Rotary Student Program was founded by a Georgia Rotarian, Will Watt, of Thomasville in 1946. The world renowned program promotes world peace by offering scholarships to international students. The scholarship allows students to have one year of study at a Georgia college or university.
The Rotary Club of Paulding County shares a recipient of the scholarship with the South Cobb Rotary Club. Each year about 80 students are adopted by “host families” but live on campus at the school they attend. This program is unique to Georgia and no other program like it exists within Rotary International.

WILL WATT SUSTAINING MEMBER:
Rotary member who contributes $100.00 per year to the GRSP

WILL WATT FELLOW:
Rotary member who has contributes $1,000.00 to the GRSP

For more information folloe this link: GRSP website

The Rotary calendar is from July 01 to June 30 of the current year. Officers and directors are nominated and elected every year. The Board of Directors consists of officers and committee chairmen.

2025-2026 Rotary Club Officers:

President:  Jake Hammitt

President-Elect:  Brian Headrick

Secretary:  Candace Callaway

Treasurer:  Robert Owens

Past President:  Brent Wheeling

2025-2026 Committee Chairmen:

Club Executive Secretary: Ford Thigpen

Rotary Foundation Chair: Josh Arrowood

Membership Chair: Matt Mason

International Service/GRSP: Ivy Capps

Service Project Chair: Jason Summerour

Club Public Image Chair: Alex Crenshaw

Sergeant at Arms: Doug Shaw

Club Vocational Service: Mary Carol Sheffield

RCPC Foundation: TBD

CLUB MEMBERS

Alex Crenshaw • Allen White • Angela O'Conor • Art Ragsdale • Brad Benson • Brent Wheeling • Brian Headrick • Candace Callaway • Danny Alsobrook • David Lyles • Dean Hardy • Dean Olson • Doug Laross • Doug Shaw • Ford Thigpen • Ivy Capps • Jake Hammitt • James Henderson • Jason Ragsdale • Jason Summerour • Jeb Gordon • John Grant • Joseph Gullett • Josh Arrowood • JT Snyder • Justin Fuller • Luana Nolen • Mark Caffrey • Martin Momtahan • Mary Carol Sheffield • Matt Britton • Matt Mason • Matt Rollins • Mike Hyden • Missy Cusack • Noah Phillips • Ottis Bone • Randy Arrowood • Raymond Phillips • Robert Owens • Sam Elrod • Sandy Ransom • Tina Drummond • Zach Long

PAUL HARRIS FELLOWS

Randy Arrowood • Matt Britton +1 • Mark Caffrey +8 • Jackie Crum • Missy Cusack • Tina Drummond • Joe Duvall • Sam Elrod +6 • Justin Fuller +1 • Jeb Gordon +2 • John Grant • Ryan Hale • Charles Hardy • Dean Hardy • Jim Hatsell • Brian Headrick +1 • Jim Henson +1 • Larry Jernigan • John Kueven +3 • Douglas LaRoss +2 • Tim Lee • David Lyles • Matt Mason +2 • Travis Miller +1 • Dean Olson +5 • Robert Owens +2 • Raymond Phillips +1 • Chad Plumley • Art Ragsdale • Jason Ragsdale • James Ransom +1 • Devan Seabaugh • Doug Shaw • Brian Stover +2 • Roy Strickland +8 • David Sullivan • Jason Summerour • Ford Thigpen +3 • Ken Thigpen +4 • Brent Wheeling • Allen White +1 • Griffin White +2 • Maxine White • Vic Williams +1

GRSP: WILL WATT FELLOWS

Art Ragsdale • Roy Strickland • Ford Thigpen • Ken Thigpen • Griffin White • Vic Williams

Serving Humanity Hiram & Dallas Ga. | Service Above Self
Chartered 1969 Contact Us

INTERNATIONAL SERVICE:

• Rotary Foundation
• Polio Eradication
• GRSP Foundation
• GRSP Student
• Disaster Relief
• Shelter Box
• Rose Bowl Parade Float

VOCATIONAL SERVICE:

• Apples for Teachers
• Law Enforcement Officer Recognition
• Fire Department Recognition
• RYLA Vocational Service Award
• Entrepreneur Development Program
• Laws of Life Essay

COMMUNITY SERVICE:

• Boys and Girls Club of Paulding County
• Boys and Girls Club of Hiram (Summer Program)
• Boy Scouts of America
• Dallas Christmas Parade Community
• Emergency Fund
• Helping Hands
• Nursing Home Cookout and Library Reading Program
• Chattahoochee Tech Scholarships
• High School Scholarships
• Shepard’s Women’s Home
• CASA Meth Alliance
• United Way
• Relay for Life
• Cops for Kids
• American Heart Association
• Paulding County Child Advocacy Center
• And many more……

ROTARY RESOURCES

Rotary International – www.rotary.org
District 6900 – www.rotary6900.org
Paulding County Rotary Club – www.pauldingrotary.org
The Rotarian – Monthly publication (included in your dues).
District News Letter – Available on the district website.
Club Bulletin – Available every week at meetings.
District Assemblies and Conferences – TBA

Georgia Rotary Student Program – www.GRSP.org
The Rotary leadership Institute – www.rlitraining.org
Rotary eClubOne – www.rotaryeclubone.org
Rotary District and Club Database – www.directory-online.com/Rotary

How Do You Become a Member of the Rotary Club of Paulding County?

1. A member of the Rotary Club of Paulding County can sponsor your application.
2. Your application is submitted to the current Rotary Club of Paulding County Board of Directors.
3. Your classification is verified so it doesn’t duplicate the same classification within the Club.
4. Your personal, business and community reputation is verified.
5. The Board of Directors approves your application for Rotary membership.
6. The entire membership of the Rotary Club of Paulding County also approved you as a new Rotarian.

YOUR OBLIGATION TO ROTARY

ATTENDANCE:

100% is encouraged and honored in Rotary. Meetings are every Tuesday at noon. Make ups can be done at other Rotary Clubs or online at eClubs. You can also make up at Rotary functions such as Club projects, District Training Classes, District Assembly, District Conference or Rotary International Convention. PARTICIPATION:Rotarians are known for volunteering their time and talents. You are expected to participate in community projects, social functions and Club / District activities.

FINANCIAL:

• Initiation Dues - $100.00
• Annual Dues - $800.00
• Club Socials - Varies

OPTIONAL COSTS:

• Paul Harris - $25.00 per quarter
• Paul Harris Society - $250.00 per quarter
• Will Watt - $25.00 per quarter