Rotary Club of Needham History
THE FOLLOWING IS TAKEN FROM CLUB DOCUMENTS RECORDED IN 1952
The NEEDHAM CLUB was granted its charter on
CHARTER NIGHT May 22nd, 1929
At the first meeting, the following officers were elected;
The foundation for Needham's CHARTER began a year earlier, 1928, when Arnold Mackintosh Harry Whetton and David Murdoch, Sr were invited by Bill Halliday of the Newton ROTARY CLUB to visit. The first gathering of the then to be all male NEEDHAM CLUB occurred at the home of Harry Whetton on Mark Tree Rd for the purpose of taking definite action to form the ROTARY CLUB of NEEDHAM,MA.
Ed: note: women were not invited to become members of ROTARY until the late 1980's when ROTARY INTERNATIONAL welcomed its first female members. The NEEDHAM CLUB welcomed female members in 1987.
Early records of CLUB accomplishments ...... service to the community again the following are excerpts. ... not complete .....
1932 The CLUB adopted Needham Boy Scouts Troop 4 to help and maintain its well being .... this sponsorship continues to this day June 30,2009 1935 Rosemary Beach contributions 1937 Needham ROTARY CLUB co-sponsored the Wellesley ROTARY CLUB 1940 Provided a cornplete Mobile Kitchen for bomb devastated England 1942-43 Town's Recreational Center project 1943 Christmas cards to all service men and women 1944 Needham mosquito control project 1944-51 Rotary entertains some 600 inner city Settlement House children brought to Needham for a day in the country 1945-46 Needham High School boys invited to CLUB meetings 1945 The Student Aid Fund (Fred Fanning Fund) established. This scholarship program continues to this day (July, 2009) with scholarships awarded to selected graduating Needham High School seniors. June, 2009, two $8,000 Scholarships were awarded .... This amount is the largest of any of the some 60 awards made A far cry from the original $150 1947 Construction of fireplace at High Rock Woods 1947 The CLUB helps to finance projects at the new GLOVER HOSPITAL 1949 The CLUB sponsors the Eliot School playground expansion project 1951 Needham newspaper sent to all service personnel 1951 First free scholarship of $150.00 awarded to George Edward Wales 1952 The CLUB sponsors new Needham Little League baseball team. support of the TEAM continues annual to this day June, 2009 1974 First PANCAKE BREAKFAST held netting some $1,160 This event continues to this day (2009) netting upwards of $8,000 1974 the first Needham THANKSGIVING DAY DINNER co-sponsored with the Needham Community Council and chaired by ROTARIAN Dick Bownell This event continues to this day. 1974 NEEDHAM and WELLESLEY ROTARIANS organize the ANNUAL FOOTBALL THANKSGIVING DINNER.....Senior players /coaches / administrators come together for the pre-game dinner...an ongoing tradition from it's earliest beginnings..... through June 2009 ... .some 80 years ... ... it is guestimated that the NEEDHAM ROTARY CLUB has undertaken more than 375 community and international projects too numerous to list here. All have contributed to the well being of its citizens. A remarkable record.Complete records of these activities can be found at The NEEDHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY. Until his "passing" 1999 at the age of nearly 100 PAT PATERSON ,principal Needham High School until he retired, a CHARTER MEMBER in the Donora,PA Rotary Club 1929 then joining NEEDHAM 1979 was our CLUB's HISTORIAN. He was diligent in keekping our CLUB's records now in safe keeping for all who wish to research In July, 2009 Bob Welling, Past President 1997-1998 became our CLUB's HISTORIAN...filling the 10 year void.