David C. Forward, who wrote the history of Rotary International in its first 100 years, came out with the book, A Century of Service. In his introduction, he wrote: "Even the world's mightiest rivers have humble beginnings. They start as tiny springs, bubbling to the surface, or as a single, melting snowdrop. As the rivulet trickles down, it brings new life to everything it touches. Soon, other tiny streams join the path and together they unite as a river, ever confident and forceful."

Such is the story of the river called Rotary International. One hundred four years ago on the cold wintry evening of February 23, 1905, in the bustling city of Chicago, Illinois, USA a young, lonely lawyer named Paul Harris and his three business associates sat together to form a club that would meet for fellowship. They shared similar backgrounds in their youth and they missed the friendliness of people in their small communities. They wanted to get together regularly and widen their circle of friendship.