In the late 1960s, noting the success of the recently formed Interact program, the RI Board realized the need for a program of service, activity, and fellowship for young adults no longer of Interact age (14-18). The name Rotaract (Rotary in Action) was selected to show the program's close affiliation with both Rotary and Interact clubs. RI President Luther Hodges inaugurated Rotaract in 1968, wit
h the Rotaract Club of the University of North Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, (now called the Rotaract Club of University of North Carolina-Charlotte) being the first club. The club received its charter on 13 March and had 21 members. Within a day of the certification of the Rotaract Club of the University of North Charlotte, the Rotaract Club of the University of La Salle was chartered in Tacubaya, Mexico. The Rotaract clubs of Florence, Italy; Gaston College and Sylva both in North Carolina; and Secunderabad, India, were all certified in the following weeks. Since the 1950s, many Rotary clubs had been starting unofficial clubs for young adults, so this fueled Rotaract's rapid growth in its first few years. Rotarct grew from 21 clubs in 1967-68 to 289 clubs a year later. There are now 7,000 Rotaract clubs in 163 countries and geographic areas. Rotaract clubs were originally open to young men and women ages 17-24. Since 1971, young adults ages 18-30 have been welcomed. Rotaract was founded in 1968 by Rotary International. on 13 March 1968, when the first charter was granted to the Rotaract club of Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. The event is commemorated each year with the celebration of the World Rotaract Week. Today there are over 6,000 Rotary sponsored Rotaract clubs with more than 190,000 members in some 158 countries around the world. Rotaract clubs are either community based or institution based.
