Our Heritage
The first Rotary meeting was held February 23, 1905 in Chicago when a lawyer name Paul Harris invited three men to his office to discuss the idea of a club based on the belief that men of professions could and should be personal friends. Initially they met in the place of business of each member and rotated the location each meeting. This prompted Paul Harris to suggest that the new club be call Rotary. In the early days, meetings were devoted to helping each member expand his business, a practice that has long since been outgrown. By 1907, the Rotary Club of Chicago extended its activities into the community and became known as a service club. In 1908 clubs were formed in San Francisco and Oakland, and shortly thereafter in Seattle, Los Angeles, New York City, Boston, St. Louis, Kansas City, and New Orleans. In 1910 a club was organized in Winnipeg, Canada and Rotary became an international organization. Today there are over 1,200,000 members belonging to over 29,000 clubs in over 150 countries.
Sometime during late 1981, the Bryan Rotary Club decided to start a new club in the Bryan-College Station area. A new club Extension Committee was selected consisting of the following members:
Clare Gunn, Chairman; Auston Kerley; Bob Holms; John Hill; Les Reid; Howard Cargill; Howard Richie; and Dick Potts.
Clare Gunn, Chairman; Auston Kerley; Bob Holms; John Hill; Les Reid; Howard Cargill; Howard Richie; and Dick Potts.
These men spent many hours organizing the club, identifying prospective members, and informing prospective members about Rotary. Their dedication to Rotary and the new club provided a strong foundation for its future.
The first introductory meeting of the new club was held on February 4, 1982 in the home of Les Reid with six prospective members, and a decision was made to establish a Provisional Rotary Club. At a subsequent meeting with additional prospective members the decision was made to conduct regular meetings at 6:45 am on Thursdays, beginning on March 18, 1982. Officers and directors were selected, and the Bryan-College Station Rotary Club was officially chartered on June 14, 1982 at a joint recognition dinner with the Bryan Rotary Club with twenty-three charter members, five of whom now remain active Club members. District Governor Andy Monsour presented the club’s official charter into District 591 of Rotary International. The Club was chartered as the “Bryan-College Station Rotary Club” on June 14, 1982 with twenty-three charter members, five of whom now remain active Club members.
The Club’s name was officially changed to “Rotary Club of College Station” during the Rotary year, 1987-88.
CHARTER MEMBERS:
Mike Beal
Don Boucher
Bob Brock
Tom Caffall
Dave Chester
Frank Clark
Carl George
Randy Goldsmith
Jay Goss
Wally Groff
David Hill
Weldon Jordan
Marty Kammerbeck
Don Ladewig
Bill Mainord
Robert Nelson
Phil Penn
Rusty Rush
Ray Slaydon
Sid Stevens
John Edd Tucker
Bob Waters
Bob Wimbish
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