Larry O’Donnell, a historian with the Everett Rotary Club, spoke to our club about  100 years of Rotary in Snohomish County. 

Larry is a graduate of Everett High and Western Washington University.  He worked for Everett School District for 30 years.  Larry is the author of several history books, including histories of several organizations in which he has been active including the Boy Scout Council (Scout Master and Eagle Scout), YMCA, Everett High School Athletics.  He co-authored "Snohomish County, an Illustrated History".

This is Everett Rotary’s centennial year.  it recently met at the site of the first meeting in Everett and Larry narrated a skit with club members taking on the identities of some of the club's founders. The sponsors of the Everett Club, Tacoma and Seattle Clubs, came by steamer 100 years ago to celebrate the new club.

When Everett Rotary was founded Everett was a town full of shingle mills with workers working in unsafe conditions.  In 1916 there was a strike between shingle workers and mill owners.  On November 5, 1916 there was a very violent conflict know as the Everett Massacre.  A month later Everett Rotary was started.

Henry Prince founded the Everett Club.  He was a member of the Tacoma Club and moved to Everett to open a cigar shop.   

Clayton William, a local attorney, was the very first president of the Everett Club.  Edward B. Wight was the first historian.  The Everett Club 

The club stopped meeting at the Weiser Cafe and moved to the Monte Cristo Hotel.

In December 1941 several Everett Rotarians went into the service for World War II.  All were given honorary membership in the club during the war. 

Loren Baker was the second historian and secretary for the club. 

When Boeing came to town Everett became an aerospace town, no longer a mill town.  Suburbia developed.

In 1978 Happy Bucks was started by a Ed Rubatino, a member of the club.  He is still active in the club today.  In 1987 Barb Mcarthy was the first woman Rotarian in the club.

$150,000 was raised for Polio Plus in its infancy. 

The Navy came into Everett in the 1990s.  For a time the club met at the Navy base but due to security they had to move.

In 1992 the Rotary Scholarship fund got a huge boost from a benefactor with almost a half million dollar donation. 

In 1995-1996 the first woman president served.  2005 an Interact Club was started.  In 2005 the club helped fund a splash park in Lake Forrest Park. 

The Club has given over $1 million to the Rotary Foundation.  $187,000 in scholarships given this year and close to $4 million given since the club’s inception.  The club received a bequest of $600,000 from a benefactor.

There are 14 clubs in Snohomish County,  5 of which are in District 5040 rather than our District 5050. Clubs sponsored by Everett that are still active include Edmonds in 1951, Arlington in 1970 (formerly Marysville-North County), Marysville (co-sponsored with Arlington) in 1985, Everett/Port Gardner in 1987, and South Everett/Mukilteo in 1989.  No longer active are the first Marysville Club disbanded in the 1930's and Snohomish recently.  The Arlington Club sponsored the Stanwood Club and helped sponsor the Lake Stevens Club. with Marysville.