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History of the Rotary Club of Palmyra-Macedon

Roger Powers, a Palmyra building contractor, was the prime organizer of the group of charter members of the Palmyra Rotary Club, chartered on April 17, 1950.  Charter night was held at the Canandaigua Street building of the Palmyra School District and attended by Rotary District 7120 officers and neighboring Rotary clubs.  Our club was sponsored by Rochester Rotary (Howie Splitt) and Newark Rotary (Harry Chapman).  Officers of the 1950 Palmyra Rotary Club were:  Rogers Powers (Building Contractor), President; Hart Pierce, Jr. (Attorney), Vice President; Harry Tellier (Farm Products), Secretary; Anson Johnson, Sr. (Pharmacy), Treasurer; and Richard McGonigal (Garlock), Sergeant at Arms.

The first meetings were held at the Garlock House restaurant until the Women’s Association of the Western Presbyterian Church organized a weekly lunch committee and served our Wednesday noon meals for over 50 years.  Our club has used a variety of fundraisers to help support District, International and local projects - including raffles, travelogues, pancake breakfasts, county fair food booths, circuses, and donkey basketball.  Our club's food service at the Mormon Pageant provides our treasury with funds that are disbursed to strictly local needs each year.

In 1981, Rotary International granted our club a new charter as Rotary Club of Palmyra-Macedon, to include Macedon business and professional people in our membership.  In Rotary year 1997-98, Ralph Kommer, a Pal-Mac Rotarian served District 7120 as District Governor.  Several of our club members have held District positions as committee members and chairpersons.