PHF Recipients

The world’s first service club, the Rotary Club of Chicago, Illinois, USA, was formed on 23 February 1905 by Paul P. Harris (pictured below), an attorney who wished to recapture in a professional club the same friendly spirit he had felt in the small towns of his youth. The name “Rotary” derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among members’ offices. When the National Association of Rotary Clubs held its first convention in 1910, Harris was elected president.

When Paul P. Harris died in 1947, the creation of the Paul Harris Fellow was a “living memorial” created in his honour by Rotarians.

Anyone who contributes — or in whose name is contributed — a gift of US$1,000 or more to the Annual Programs Fund of the Rotary Foundation may become a Paul Harris Fellow. As of February 2006, there are nearly one million (985,424) Paul Harris Fellows worldwide.

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 recognised as a Multiple Paul Harris Fellow
• may also choose to honor someone else as a Paul Harris Fellow with their Foundation Recognition Points, or
• is eligible to receive a Multiple Paul Harris Fellow pin with additional stones (from one to five sapphires for amounts of US$2,000-$2,999 through to $6,000-$6,999 respectively, and then from one to three rubies, for amounts of US$7,000-$7,999 through to $9,000-$9,999 respectively).