Service club "the services", a common expression for the military or uniformed forces. In the Americas, these types of clubs are commonly known as veterans' organizations or veterans' fraternal groups. The world's first service club, the Rotary Club of Chicago, was formed in 1905 by Paul P. Harris, an attorney who wanted to create in a professional club with the same friendly spirit he had felt in the small towns of his youth. The Rotary name derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among members' offices. Many of these service clubs were started early in the 20th century, such as Kiwanis,
Rotary International make recommendations to the overall governing bodies, the RI Convention and the RI Council on Legislation. The chief operating officer of RI is the general secretary, who heads a staff of about 600 people working at the international headquarters in Evanston and in seven international offices around the world. According to its constitutions ("Charters"), Rotary defines itself as a non-partisan, non-sectarian organization. It is open to business and professional leaders aged 18 and upwards, with no regard to economic status. One can contact a Rotary club to inquire about membership but can join a Rotary club only if invited; there