The Rotary Club of Arlington (Virginia) was established on July 4, 1929, and is one of the 30,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and territories. The Norfolk Rotary Club was founded in 1914 as the third Rotary club in Virginia, and was the 114th of the 34,000 clubs around the world. Today, 40 Rotary clubs from Virginia and North Carolina have their roots in the Norfolk Rotary Club, which helped to establish them in various communities. The idea for Rotary originated with Paul Harris, a Chicago lawyer. On February 23, 1905, he created the Rotary Club of Chicago to provide a platform for professionals from different backgrounds to share ideas and form lasting friendships.
The club also provides meals through Northern Virginia Family Services for Fairfax City residents who need assistance with their parents' education. There are 1.3 million Rotarians worldwide, and Rotary International is committed to eradicating polio across the globe.
