| Rotary's
early emblem was a simple wagon wheel (in
motion with dust). It was designed in 1905
by Montague M. Bear, a member of the Rotary
Club of Chicago who was an engraver. He
designed the emblem to represent both civilization
and movement. Most of the early Rotary clubs
adopted the wheel in one form or another.
In 1922, the
organization decided to create and preserve
an emblem for the exclusive use of all Rotarians,
and the following year, the present emblem,
a gearwheel with 24 cogs and six spokes,
was adopted. A keyway was added to signify
the usefulness of the gearwheel.
An official
description of the emblem was adopted at
the 1929 International Convention. Royal
blue and gold were chosen as the official
Rotary colors and the flag of Rotary was
designated as a white field with the emblem
emblazoned in its center. The emblem, worn
as a lapel pin, now identifies Rotarians
around the world. The Rotary emblem is a
trademark owned by Rotary International
and is protected throughout the world by
the international association. The emblem
is a registered trademark in more than 35
countries to date.
Clubs, districts
and Rotary entities are welcome to use the
Rotary emblem subject to the guidelines
for the use of the Rotary Marks as set forth
by RI's Board of Directors. These guidelines
govern the use of the Rotary Marks on all
merchandise, promotional materials and publications,
including domain names and web sites. |
