About Our Club

This Club, chartered in 1918, has a proud tradition of community service for over 100 years.  The club's original 24 members dedicated themselves to serving the Janesville community and its youth.  Today more than 90 members of the Janesville Rotary Club continue the tradition. Janesville Rotary Club financially, and through volunteer efforts, supports the following worthwhile projects:

• Rotary Botanical Gardens
• Rock County Rotary Kids Against Hunger
• Haiti Well Water Project
• Hope Institute for Uganda
• High school scholarships for Craig, Parker and Milton graduates to attend a college or university
• Sponsorship of two representatives to Badger Boys' State and Badger Girls' State
• Help sponsor Career Awareness at Craig High School
• Sponsorship of inbound foreign exchange students annually
• Sponsorship of outbound exchange students
• Honor seniors from Craig, Parker and Milton Schools
• Provide 4-H trophies to outstanding 4-H members

FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Rotary was born in Chicago in 1905 and the first club in Wisconsin was Superior, which was sponsored by Duluth in 1912. This was followed by ten other clubs as follows: Milwaukee, Madison, Wausau, Merrill, Sheboygan, Oshkosh, Green Bay, Appleton, Stevens Point and Racine. There were no "Districts" in Rotary until 1915, at which time Janesville would have been in District Number 9. By 1918 this area had been re-numbered 15 and included all of Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Western Ontario, and all of Manitoba.

The Madison Rotary Club (chartered in 1913) was anxious to sponsor a new club, so they commissioned F.S. "Heggle" Brandenburg, one of their younger members, to try to organize one in Janesville.  The District Governor was Burton E. Nelson, then of Racine, but later to become better known as the head of Stout Institute of Menomonie.

After various preliminary meetings and conferences, a supper meeting was held at the Myers Hotel on November 6, 1918, with Brandenburg and Nelson in attendance. A Constitution and By Laws were adopted and the following seven directors elected: H.H. Bliss, J.S. Craig, M.O. Mouat, Geo. S. Parker, S.M. Smith, J.L. Wilcox, and R.E. Wisner. These directors met on November 9 and elected officers as follows: President, Go. S. Parker, Vice President, M.O. Mouat, Secretary, Charles F. Fifield, Treasurer, S.M. Smith, Sergeant-at-Arms, Jos M. Connors. Application for membership in the International Association of Rotary Clubs was filed on November 11th and a Charter Number 436, dated December 1, 1918, was issued. In the meantime, on November 16th, twenty one of the original twenty four charter members, met at the Meyers Hotel at 6:30 P.M. for the installation of Officers. District Governor Nelson presided.

JANESVILLE NOON ROTARY-

Creating a Better Community... A Better World!

Janesville Noon Rotary has grown to be one of the largest clubs in our district and is recognized throughout the Rotary world. It is a local service club that takes on significant projects having a positive impact in our community-- and communities worldwide.  We get things done!  Our most significant projects include Kids Against Hunger and Rotary Botanical Gardens.  Additionally, we are supportive of many student scholarship and exchange opportunities, as well as educational and fundraising programs which provide interaction with a cross-section of our community.  This is an approach that may not be available through any other organization.  It is also a chance to make a commitment to become involved-- and see how becoming a member can make a positive difference in the world and in your own life.  This club sets the standard for volunteer service organizations.