The History of the Rotary Club of Kingwood
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A "Centennial" Rotary Club Founded in 2004
The Rotary Club of Kingwood was officially chartered by Rotary International on December 7, 2004. Since we were chartered during the 100th Anniversary of Rotary International, we have the distinction of being a "Centennial Rotary Club".
The community leaders that were our charter members saw the need to form a Rotary club in our community, and particularly one that would meet in the early evening. They recognized the fact that many of our community residents work outside our area or are otherwise unable to attend lunch or breakfast meetings. By having an evening meeting, it gives everyone an opportunity to be involved in serving their community.
We very quickly became a cohesive group of friends that ventured into small community service projects that our budget would allow. Since then, we've done some live-saving and life-changing services projects. Our weekly dinners are fun, lively and full of camaraderie. These traditions continue every Thursday during our weekly meeting and you are welcome to join us from 6:15 PM - 7:30 PM at The Union Kitchen in Kingwood. It is a commitment of one hour per week and those of us that occasionally miss a meeting truly feel that our week is incomplete. The spouses and children of all our members are welcomed and encouraged to attend meetings and take part in our service projects.
Great Rotary projects start from an idea of a single Rotarian....and then spreads and grows when other Rotarians get involved. While being a Rotarian brings new relationships and fun times, the serious business of the Rotary Club of Kingwood is about serving our local and worldwide communities. The size and breadth of our community service projects will continue to grow over the years. In 2008, we sponsored a Kingwood student, Thomas Mendez, who was awarded a $24,000 Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship to study in Argentina, and in 2011 we sponsored Daniella Romero which received a $30,000 Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship which studied in Geneva, Switzerland.
What was our very first community service project? We provided the Houston Police Department in Kingwood with a 20' steel storage building for their patrol bicycles.
Our largest community project is our "EarlyAct FirstKnight (EAFK) Character Education Program" at Bear Branch Elementary School, and we're working hard to raise funds so we can have it at as many elementary schools a possible. EAFK is a research-based curriculum which uses higher critical thinking skills to teach students morals and ethics. Principals report that academic scores increase, and behavior problems decrease resulting in teachers gaining 30-minutes per school day of education time.
Watch this video which was produced by Georgetown Rotary about their EAFK program which is identical to the one we sponsor at Bear Branch Elementary School.
Our projects include helping organize a concert at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion and a gala to benefit The School of the City Dump in Nicaragua; loaded and shipped a 40' container of clothing to Nicaragua; volunteering at the Reliant Center's Command Center during Hurricane Katrina relief efforts; held multiple community blood and toy drives; worked at Kingwood High school's "Shattered Dreams" program; volunteering at Alspaugh's 4th of July BBQ; picking up trash in one village during the annual Kingwood Kleenwood Day; held Saturday morning yard cleanups for families in need; "Ringing the Bell" for the Salvation Army every Christmas; hosted an inbound Rotary Youth Exchange Student from Spain; sponsored an outbound Humble ISD student to Spain.
Our projects include helping organize a concert at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion and a gala to benefit The School of the City Dump in Nicaragua; loaded and shipped a 40' container of clothing to Nicaragua; volunteering at the Reliant Center's Command Center during Hurricane Katrina relief efforts; held multiple community blood and toy drives; worked at Kingwood High school's "Shattered Dreams" program; volunteering at Alspaugh's 4th of July BBQ; picking up trash in one village during the annual Kingwood Kleenwood Day; held Saturday morning yard cleanups for families in need; "Ringing the Bell" for the Salvation Army every Christmas; hosted an inbound Rotary Youth Exchange Student from Spain; sponsored an outbound Humble ISD student to Spain.
Our Rotary Club continues to strive to make a difference in our world. We realize the importance of our local youth so we serve as mentors to the Quest High School Interact Club; sponsored a student to attend Presidential Leadership Training in Washington D.C.; gave Rotary Youth Leadership Award Scholarships to thirty-six Humble ISD students based upon their high level of community service hours. Over the years, we've also donated funds to FamilyTime, Humble ISD Foundation, Humble ISD Science Fair, Lake Houston YMCA and Blue Star Moms.
To further help our community, we realize the importance of partnering with other organizations to help make a difference. Our Rotary club partnered with Kingwood Service Association Public Safety Committee, Humble ISD, and the Houston Police Department to provide fingerprint kits to over 2,000 students enrolled in kindergarten and first grade in all Kingwood elementary schools. We initiated the Purple Pinkie Project which helps local students raise funds to pay for the oral polio vaccines to given to children through Rotary's PolioPlus Program in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria. Rotary has helped eradicate 99.9% of the world's polio cases....but yes, polio still exists in three countries in the world but, thanks to Rotarians. We're working hard to make polio the 2nd disease wiped from the face of the earth. Rotarians around the world have united to support PolioPlus and, since 1985, they have raised over $1.1 Billion to eradicate polio.
Our community recognizes Rotary as an important charitable resource and supports our projects accordingly. Equally important, the men and women of the Rotary Club of Kingwood unselfishly give of their time when needed - it's the highlight of being a Rotarian. The Kingwood Rotary Club is a member of the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce, plus our many of our club members are also members. Chamber members work together to promote and strengthen the businesses in the area. Rotarians work together to use their business to help improve the lives of people both locally and internationally. Our philosophy is "What we can do as business owners and managers to help make the world better by providing...clean water, literacy, peace, education, homes, health, and humanity.
Our guiding principal is Rotary's Four-Way Test. From the earliest days of the organization, Rotarians were concerned with promoting high ethical standards in their professional lives. One of the world's most widely printed and quoted statements of business ethics is the Four-Way Test was created in 1932 by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor, who later served as president of Rotary International, when he was asked to take charge of a company that was facing bankruptcy. This 24-word test for employees to follow in their business and professional lives became the guide for sales, production, advertising, and all relations with dealers and customers, and the survival of the company is credited to this simple philosophy. Adopted by Rotary in 1943, the Four-Way Test has been translated into more than 100 languages and is used by the leaders of companies, and countries, around the world.
We hope this serves as an introduction to Rotary, and to our Kingwood Rotary Club. We look forward to having you join us!
To further help our community, we realize the importance of partnering with other organizations to help make a difference. Our Rotary club partnered with Kingwood Service Association Public Safety Committee, Humble ISD, and the Houston Police Department to provide fingerprint kits to over 2,000 students enrolled in kindergarten and first grade in all Kingwood elementary schools. We initiated the Purple Pinkie Project which helps local students raise funds to pay for the oral polio vaccines to given to children through Rotary's PolioPlus Program in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria. Rotary has helped eradicate 99.9% of the world's polio cases....but yes, polio still exists in three countries in the world but, thanks to Rotarians. We're working hard to make polio the 2nd disease wiped from the face of the earth. Rotarians around the world have united to support PolioPlus and, since 1985, they have raised over $1.1 Billion to eradicate polio.
Our community recognizes Rotary as an important charitable resource and supports our projects accordingly. Equally important, the men and women of the Rotary Club of Kingwood unselfishly give of their time when needed - it's the highlight of being a Rotarian. The Kingwood Rotary Club is a member of the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce, plus our many of our club members are also members. Chamber members work together to promote and strengthen the businesses in the area. Rotarians work together to use their business to help improve the lives of people both locally and internationally. Our philosophy is "What we can do as business owners and managers to help make the world better by providing...clean water, literacy, peace, education, homes, health, and humanity.
Our guiding principal is Rotary's Four-Way Test. From the earliest days of the organization, Rotarians were concerned with promoting high ethical standards in their professional lives. One of the world's most widely printed and quoted statements of business ethics is the Four-Way Test was created in 1932 by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor, who later served as president of Rotary International, when he was asked to take charge of a company that was facing bankruptcy. This 24-word test for employees to follow in their business and professional lives became the guide for sales, production, advertising, and all relations with dealers and customers, and the survival of the company is credited to this simple philosophy. Adopted by Rotary in 1943, the Four-Way Test has been translated into more than 100 languages and is used by the leaders of companies, and countries, around the world.
We hope this serves as an introduction to Rotary, and to our Kingwood Rotary Club. We look forward to having you join us!