• On 23 February, 1905, Paul Harris formed the first club with three other businessmen: Silvester Schiele, a coal merchant; Gustavus Loehr, a mining engineer; and Hiram Shorey, a merchant tailor.
• Paul Harris named the new club "Rotary" because members met in rotation at their various places of business. Club membership grew rapidly. Soon Paul became convinced that the Rotary club could be developed into an important service movement and strove to extend Rotary to other cities.
• Paul maintained his law office for most of his life. He spent much time traveling and was invited to speak to Rotarians at annual conventions, district and regional meetings, and other functions.
• When President emeritus Paul Harris passed away on 27 January, 1947, his dream had grown from an informal meeting of four men to some 6,000 clubs.
• In the past five decades, the organization has grown to more than 31,300 clubs with 1.22 million members brought together through Paul Harris' vision of service and fellowship.

Anyone who contributes – or in whose name is contributed – a gift of US$1,000 or more to the Annual Programs Fund may become a Paul Harris Fellow. Each new Paul Harris Fellow receives a commemorative certificate, a Paul Harris Fellow pin, and a medallion. Donors are eligible for Paul Harris Fellow recognition when their cumulative giving reaches US$1,000.

For additional gifts totaling US$1,000 or more, a Paul Harris Fellow:
**Is recognized as a Multiple Paul Harris Fellow.
**May also choose to honor someone else as a Paul Harris Fellow with their Foundation Recognition Points, formerly called "available credit".
**Is eligible to receive a Multiple Paul Harris Fellow pin with additional stones.

The Rotary Foundation Sustaining Member Program (formerly known as the Paul Harris Sustaining Member program) has been in existence since 1957. Its intention was to enable those Rotarians who desired to become a Paul Harris Fellow to spread their contributions of US$100 per year over 10 years to be recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow with a cumulative gift of US$1,000.

The newly revitalized Rotary Foundation Sustaining Member program still allows those who wish to achieve Paul Harris Fellow or Multiple Paul Harris Fellow status to continue to do so over time, making it affordable for all Rotarians to participate.

Sustaining Members are now asked to make a commitment to the Foundation in writing and help sustain the many wonderful programs of The Rotary Foundation with a gift of US$100 or more every year to the Annual Programs Fund. All Rotary Foundation Sustaining Members will receive a membership card and a sticker to affix to their club name badge for each year that they participate in the program.

All gifts to the Annual Programs Fund (both new and old) count cumulatively toward Paul Harris Fellow, Multiple Paul Harris Fellow, and Major Donor recognition. Gifts to the Permanent Fund or PolioPlus Partners or other restricted gifts do not count toward Rotary Foundation Sustaining Membership.