About Our Club

 
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THE NEWARK ROTARY CLUB: From Then until Now
 
In the year 1926: The Ford Motor Company introduced the eight hour day and the five day work week and sold their Model T Ford for $350... The first motion picture with sound was demonstrated... Gene Tunney won the world heavyweight boxing championship held by Jack Dempsey since 1919...1926 was also the 21st year of the Rotary movement and the year the Newark Rotary Club was born. The club started on October 28, 1926 with the following twenty-three charter members:
 
Leslie W. Bronk
William E. Buck
Frederick D. Burgess
William T. Dobson
Frederick C. Donnelly
Albert R. Drake
Paul V. Fortmiller
Lewis E. Gilbert
Merrill J. Holloway
Walter H. Hallagan
William H. Inman
Williams V. Jewett
T. Spencer Knight
Frank LeBoutillier
John L. Metcalf
C. Stuart Perkins
Ernest V. Peirson
L. George Richmond
Arthur G. Schuiz
F. Neff
Stroup Lyman
K. Stuart
Frank Warren
Don B.Williams
 
Now, in the summer of 2006, the membership is at 88, which includes 20 women. Afte rRotary International adopted a new policy allowing women members in 1987, Mary Morrison became our first female Rotarian in 1989, and has been followed by many others since then. Rotary conducts its activities at several geographical layers: the local - that is, our Newark Club, the District - ours is 7120 - and the Headquarters - Rotary International in Evanston, Illinois. Over the years, Newark Rotarians have actively participated in and supported Rotary's Four Avenues of Service: Club, Vocational, International and Community Service. Newark Rotary spread the ideals of Rotary by sponsoring new clubs in Williamson and Wolcott in 1928 and in 1950 with Rochester, in Palmyra. Now there are Rotary Clubs in 160 countries with more than 30,000 clubs and over 1,200,000 Rotarians. Over the years we have listened to thousands of speakers talking on a variety of subjects at our weekly meetings. Each week, there has been a club bulletin, which has reflected the personality of our club as well as the history of our country. The Club has met at eight locations over the decades. Newark Rotary has met at its present site, Burnham's Canalside, at the Quality Inn, since 1986. Newark Rotary has made frequent contributions to the Rotary Foundation. Our club has named more than seventy-four Paul Harris Fellows. We were the first club in our District to make a contribution to Rotary International's "Polio Plus" campaign, which began in 1985.
 
Newark Rotary was the organizational force and sole sponsor of the Rotary Boy's Band in 1927, which combined and expanded to the Newark High School Band in 1937. In 1934 a Student Loan Fund enabled many Newark High School students to start college during the depression years. In 1970 two scholarship awards for the most outstanding high school seniors were established. In the early 1960's Newark Rotary also obtained Rotary Foundation Fellowship Grants for studies abroad for two Newark High School graduates.
 
The Club also sponsors local high school students in RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Activity) annual leadership training conferences at Keuka College. From 1993-2006 the Club sponsored a pre-1st Lincoln School class. Newark Rotary, together with 19 other Rotary Clubs in our district, sponsored and supported the establishment of Camp ONSEYAWA, in 1956, for handicapped children.
 
In 1946 club members sent "Care" packages to our sister city in Newark, England, which was hard hit by the ravages of war. During World War II, many Rotarians served their country in military duty. Newark Rotary was involved with the Bethany Home and School in the Philippines in 1967, when it was approved as our District's World Community Service Project. Our club has helped to build many of the buildings for this orphanage and school, including a wing of the school, a modern gym, part of the musical wing and several cottages for pupils and teachers. Since 1985 we have given financial support toward the construction and equipping of a new library. This was a five-year project.
 
In 1975 we arranged for a shipment of surplus civil defense food to feed the starving in Bangladesh. We sponsored a student for "Operation Crossroads African's a Caribbean summer work camp program for a few years.
 
Newark Rotary continued to establish international goodwill in 1985 by endorsing the Rotary International Youth Exchange Program. We have sponsored numerous Youth Exchange students, two group study exchange team leaders - to the Philippines and to New Zealand - and hosted teams from Scotland, New Zealand, Philippines, India, Australia and Austria.
 
Newark Rotary provided the original financing of Newark's Summer Playground program. Our club also sponsored the founding of the Newark Community Center (now known as the Alex Eligh Community Center). We actively participated in the early organization of Little League Baseball. Newark Rotarians built three pavilion shelters and picnic tables-two in Perkins Park; one prior to 1955 and one in 1969, and one in Ross Park, which was constructed in 1984. The Club also built pavilions at Ross Park in 2007and Hallagan Field in 2009.
 
 In 1962 Rotarians collected old auto license plates dating back to 1916 and turned them over to the Wayne County Historical Society for a permanent display. In 1969 and 1970 Newark Rotarians sponsored "Gas Day" to raise funds to benefit Newark -Wayne Community Hospital's building program, In a 1978 we gave substantial financial support to the Newark Arcadia Volunteer Ambulance (NAVA).  We purchased four "Welcome to Newark" signs in 1980. We faithfully participated at ND/SO'S "Friendship Fair" for over 10 years. In 1982 we provided free cab service during holidays to help with the DWI problem. Newark Rotary sponsored a bicycle rodeo in 1983 to encourage safe bicycle riding by our youngsters. In 1982 we donated a "talking bicycle" for use in safety programs by Newark police in elementary schools. Newark Rotary provided manpower to run "The Race" during Newark's Summerfest for several years but ended in 1986 due to liability concerns. We contributed manpower and provided funds in supped of the construction of the Newark Memorial Playground in Perkins Park in 1986.
 
 A restricted Newark Public Library Memorial Book Fund was established in 1997 with Club funds. Newark Rotarians built a special ramp at a handicapped child's home in 1986. We have regularly sponsored Red Cross Bloodmobiles. Newark Rotary sponsored a reasonably priced Multiphasic Blood Analysis Preventative Health Care Program since 1984. We provided manpower to assist the professionals with paperwork, set up, snacks, and other services as needed.
 
 Rotarians provided over 200 man-hours during 1993-96 to rejuvenate the Spencer T. Knight Canal Park in conjunction with the Village of Newark and a New York State grant. Newark Rotary was a major contributor to the Newark-Wayne Community Hospital for its "Focus on the Future" fund drive.
 
 In addition we make donations to many organizations, including: United Way, American Cancer Society, Easter Seals, needy families at Christmas, high school athletic programs, Muscular Dystrophy, Red Cross, Wayne County Arts in Action, Girl Scouts, Big Brother -Big Sister Program, Boy Scouts, American Heart Association, Newark-Wayne Community Hospital, and Literacy Volunteers of Wayne County.
 
 In order to raise funds, members contribute cash for birthdays and are fined for personal events such as new home or car purchases, trips, etc. Members also contribute time and work toward club projects such as Pancake Day, Radio Day, Gas Day, Minstrel Shows, Community Auctions, Blood Screening Program, Hill Cummorah Food tent. Salvation Army Bell Ringing, and many others.