CLUB HISTORY
In December of 1951, Rotary District Governor William J. Hugo on his official visit to the officers of the Rotary Club of New Orleans, which is the 12th oldest club in the world, suggested that they surrender some territory to start a new club. They readily agreed, provided the Kenner Club also add some territory. Kenner agreed and the territorial limits for the Rotary Club of Metairie were established about January 21, 1952.
In answer to a 1953 invitation by Frank Somers, a member of our sponsoring club and manager of Borden's and later District Governor, about 15 Metairie businessmen and professionals attended a coffee meeting at the Metairie Country Club to discuss the formation of the new club. After an explanation by Charles Guzzo, a New Orleans Rotarian, many of the attendees stayed to form the nucleus of the new club, in spite of the fact that most had no knowledge of Rotary.
The first meeting of the temporary club was held May 21, 1953 at the Metairie Country Club, with Eugene A. Honore presiding. In June all the material was assembled and a charter requested of Rotary International. The charter was granted and the club chartered on June 29, 1953 at the 12:15 meeting. Dr. R. Cecil Cook, president of the Mississippi State College, then District Governor of District 204 (now District 6840), and Dr. Willard Wirth, then president of the Rotary Club of New Orleans, the sponsoring club installed the new officers of the Rotary Club of Metairie. Charter members included several of Metairie's business and professional leaders, all attracted by the core Rotary values of integrity, inclusiveness, fellowship, and service – not only local but international.
"The power of one person's actions can inspire many."
Paul Harris
Rotary founder
Rotary is at it's core a service organization and the Rotary Club of Metairie has exemplified it's commitment to the Metairie and Greater New Orleans community through numerous service projects. Over the years, our club has been involved in the Deaf Olympics, volunteered with the New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity helping to build a home, participated in street and waterways clean up efforts, and installed musical instruments at Lafreniere Park.
Today, you can find our club donating school supplies and dictionaries to local elementary schools, distributing food and clothing to needy groups and individuals in the community, volunteering at a drink booth at Jazz Fest, donating blood, singing holiday tunes at nursing facilities, helping sort and package medical supplies for medical missions around the world, and more.
Our club also has donates several four-year $10,000 scholarships to graduating high school students from the east bank of Jefferson Parish through our 501(c)(3) Scholarship Foundation. The major fundraiser to raise money for these scholarships is known as the Big Game Raffle! Tickets to home Saints and LSU football games and Pelicans basketball games, along with hotel stays and restaurant gift cards, are raffled off at a drawing in held in August. Other Rotary clubs in the area participate by selling tickets. In 2022, the Rotary Club of Metairie Scholarship Foundation Big Game Raffle raised over $105,000!
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