The first Rotary Club meeting in Winnipeg took place November 3, 1910 at the Y.M.C.A.  Five men were in attendance.  At that time, it was formally moved that the "Winnipeg Rotary Club" be organized.

 

On November 7, 1910, the second Rotary meeting in Winnipeg was held at the MacIntyre Building.  Ten people were in attendance.  Again, there was a formal motion that the "Winnipeg Rotary Club" be organized.

 

The third meeting took place on November 15, 1910.  At this meeting a copy of the Boston Rotary Club by-laws was changed, in pen, and formally adopted as the first Winnipeg Rotary Club by-law.  The hand inked by-law is still in existence.  It is either in the Rotary Club of Winnipeg archives or with the Manitoba Provincial archives.

 

In 1910, Winnipeg Rotary Club was operating as the 17th Rotary Club in the world.

 

On April 13, 1912, when Paul Harris signed the Winnipeg Rotary Club charter, there were 34 other clubs operating in the world.  Thus, although Club # 35 was not formally chartered until 1912, the Winnipeg Rotary Club was formally operating under the Rotary by-laws effective November 15, 1910 as the 17th Rotary Club.   

 

The Duluth and St. Paul Rotary Clubs assisted in the organization of the fledgling Winnipeg Rotary Club.

 

Today, an annual celebration takes place, called International Goodwill Weekend (also called International Goodwill Meeting), commemorating the event the transformed Rotary into Rotary International.  

International Goodwill Weekend started in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1924, but was moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada in 1925.

 

In 1929, Paul Harris attended International Goodwill Weekend and spoke of his early days in Rotary.

 

In February 2002, the Rotary Clubs of  Winnipeg will host the 77th annual International Goodwill Weekend.  Many Rotary Clubs from Canada and the United States participate.

 

The three Rotary clubs responsible for transforming Rotary into Rotary International continue to thrive and, each year, they get together at International Goodwill Weekend.   

 

I would also point out that the first Rotary International president from outside of the United States came from Winnipeg, namely Rev. Dr. E. Leslie Pidgeon.