In order to understand the formation of a Rotary Club in Presque Isle, let’s go back to 1905 when Rotary first began – back to a time when no one had heard of a “talking” motion picture, or listened to a radio program, or seen a television show, or traveled in an airplane, a time where there were barbershop quartettes, high stiff collars and bow ties, and a Packard automobile that took 52 days to go from the West Coast to New York City.
Paul Harris, a lawyer from Chicago, founded Rotary in 1905. He envisioned this new club to have two main objectives:
1. To promote business interests of its members, and
2. To develop good fellowship and other desirable traits of a “social” club.
He called this new club “Rotary” because meetings were rotated between each other’s place of business; thus helping one another to obtain more business and dispelling the need for competition.
Rotary had a universal appeal, and the idea caught on rapidly. Its principles and policies are such that they do not conflict with any religious or political views and its ideals of “service above self” tends to better the lives of its members. Thus, Rotary began its journey around the world. In 1911, Rotary became an international organization with the establishment of clubs in Canada, England and Ireland. Today, 1.2 million Rotarians belong to over 32,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.
In 1923, 18 years after Rotary was first introduced by Paul Harris, the same scenario took place here in Presque Isle. Several business and professional men met in Nathan Perry’s office to organize a club in Presque Isle. At this time, the population in Presque Isle had increased to 5,581; the community included two post-secondary institutions, two hospitals with nine physicians, four dentists, three optometrists and one veterinarian; three railroads, six garages, two livery stables, two banks, two theatres, one newspaper and a library. It was time to organize a club that had Paul Harris’ vision and one that would help Presque Isle grow and prosper. “The people,” wrote a visiting journalist, “are hardworking with willing hearts and inclined to give generously.”
The Presque Isle Rotary Club held its first meeting April 30, 1923 with Nathan Perry as president and 19 charter members in attendance. Their meetings also “rotated” starting with the Odd Fellows Hall over the old Perry Insurance Co., then at the Mooseluck Club, the Garden Tea Room, and then on to Elmer Howlett’s. Since 1945, the Presque Isle Rotary Club meetings have been held at the Northeastland Hotel.
As 1932 rolled around, Rotary International saw a membership growth to 159,000 members, while at the same time adopting what is still used at every meeting around the world today, the Four-Way-Test. Four simple questions to ask of oneself whether it be in your personal or professional life:
1. Is it the truth?
2. Is it fair to all concerned?
3. Will it build good will and better friendship? And
4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
In 1947, Rotarians all around the world mourned the death of its founder, Paul Harris. Voluntary contributions started coming from Rotarians and non-Rotarians worldwide in his memory. The Paul Harris Fellowship Award was established where a contribution of $1,000 to the Rotary Foundation honored a Rotarian or non-Rotarian with a Paul Harris Fellowship – the highest award achieved within Rotary. In 1978, Dr. Clifford O.T. Wieden was honored with the first Paul Harris Fellowship from the Presque Isle Rotary Club. That same year, Dr. Wieden presented his wife with a Paul Harris Fellowship to honor their 55th wedding anniversary.
An interesting fact in itself as Rotary at that time was a “men’s” organization only. However, in 1987, women were admitted into Rotary. On Oct. 5, 1987, Virginia Joles and Paula Fowler-Kilby became the first women to be inducted into the Presque Isle Rotary Club. Today, the membership of the Presque Isle Rotary Club is 97. Seventeen of those members are women, of which three have served as past presidents of the Club. Serving as our current president is Jane Towle and the incoming president July 1, 2009 will be Nancy Fletcher.
Over the years, the Presque Isle Rotary Club has expanded its founding vision of fellowship toward the common end of service. In exemplifying the ideal of “Service Above Self,” the Club has impacted the community through identifying its needs, selecting a suitable course of action, and effecting changes, which improve the quality of life. Within this avenue of community service, the Presque Isle Rotary Club has significantly impacted Presque Isle and its surrounding communities. While this impact has been achieved by many different projects, too numerous to mention them all here, the one project that has taken on a “life of its own,” is the annual Presque Isle Rotary Club Auction.
The Club’s first radio auction was held in 1948. Every member of the Club cooperated to make this first auction a much bigger success than any had hoped for. Their goal was to raise $5,000 to replace the “antiquated” heating plant for the Presque Isle General Hospital (now TAMC) only to net the sum of $24,452. “Never to be forgotten as the auction opened that first night was the feeling of apprehension and the wondering if anyone would call in with any bids.” (Unknown quote)
For 62 years, the annual radio/television Rotary Auction has supported community projects through proceeds from donated merchandise, a special project supported through direct contributions and a Gold Brick Program supported through contributions in memory of a loved one and designated for The Aroostook Medical Center Endowment Fund. Last year, 2008, the Presque Isle Rotary Club reached its 50-year commitment to this Gold Brick Program by raising $1 million for TAMC’s Endowment Fund. Our biggest Special Project year was 1996 when we raised $210,000 for the County Dialysis Center Project. Over the past 62 years, the Presque Isle Rotary Club auction could not have been a success without the hard work and dedication of past and current Rotarians, as well as the generosity of the communities we live in. THANK YOU.
“A better world. To make it so came Rotary all those years ago …” by Edgar A. Guest.
Rotary’s trends and Rotary’s ways have provided the ideals of service and international understanding by which Rotarians live. As we continue to meet the challenges facing our community, the Presque Isle Rotary Club will remain cognizant of the words of Patrick Henry who said, “I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past.”
If anyone is interested in visiting or joining the Presque Isle Rotary Club, meetings are held on Mondays at noon in the Northeastland Hotel.
Rotary Club celebrates 86th year of serving others
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – The Presque Isle Rotary Club was organized by several business and professional men April 25, 1923. Fred P. Stevens, the club’s first secretary, expressed, “Not one of us knew much of anything about the organization (Rotary International). At first, a few of us felt that our town was too small … an organization of this nature was meant for cities and towns with a large population.” Yet, as a result of this meeting 86 years ago, the Presque Isle Rotary Club was organized and there is today, a well-established and flourishing club of approximately 100 members.
