— Rotary Club of Muskogee, a chapter of Rotary International, was founded in 1913 with the mission to 1) contribute to the health and growth of Muskogee by being active, contributing members of the community by providing assistance and support to disadvantaged groups/individuals and the organizations that serve these populations, fostering development of Muskogee's youth, and supporting nonprofits with missions compatible with Rotary's overall goals;  2) support district, national and international Rotary initiatives; and  3) nurture business by supporting club member business owners, executives and appointed representatives.

Rotary International is a volunteer organization of 1.2 million business and professional leaders united worldwide to provide humanitarian service and help build goodwill and peace. The 105 Muskogee Rotary members subscribe to the primary objective of Rotary International to place service above self in the community, workplace and world by participating in a number of projects and activities benefiting both the local and international communities.

Rotary cooperates with Muskogee High School sponsoring the regional Rotary 4-way Test speech competition. The Rotary 4-way Test consists of four tenets that underlie the expectations for ethical behavior of all Rotarians: is it the truth, is it fair to all concerned, will it build goodwill and better friendships, and will it be beneficial to all concerned. Rotary provides both financial support and volunteer judges for the event.

The organization's annual summer golf tournament raises funds for local activities with most recent years dedicated to contributing to Good Shepherd Health Clinic, which provides free medical care and prescription medication to low-income families. 

An annual fundraiser, Party in the Park, is a wine and food tasting event at Honor Heights Park. Funds collected at Party in the Park are designated for international projects. Previous projects include building houses in La Pesca, Mexico, micro-enterprise training in Kenya and Indonesia, and purchase of therapeutic equipment for children in Brazil. This year's event will be from 1:30 to 6:30 p.m. April 21 at the Honor Heights Park North Pavilion.

Rotary volunteers serve breakfast at the Gospel Rescue Mission one Sunday each month.

Next year is an important year for Muskogee Rotary as the organization will be celebrating its 100th anniversary in the community. Funds are currently being raised for a special project that will leave a lasting legacy in Muskogee, and a centennial celebration is being planned for November 2013.

Muskogee Rotary meets at noon each Thursday at the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. Meetings consist of lunch, a brief business meeting and a program.

For more information about Muskogee Rotary or to become a member, contact Renee Frederick at (918) 683-2600.

To recommend an organization or program for an upcoming column, reach Rebecca Walkup at rwalkup@thenonprofitresourcecenter.org or (918) 683-4600.