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Rotary Club celebrates 100 years at luncheon
YOUNGSTOWN
Refreshments and reflection were all part of the Youngs-town Rotary Club’s centennial luncheon Friday at the Tyler Mahoning Valley History Center.
The luncheon was part of a series of events to celebrate the club’s 100th anniversary. The club was founded Feb. 1, 1915, by Youngstown architect Charles F. Owsley.
“It’s an exciting time for the club,” said Scott Schulick, former club president who was on the committee that organized the week’s celebrations.
The luncheon featured keynote speaker Ed Futa, former general secretary of Rotary International, who spoke about the relevance of the club over its 100 years.
“Irrelevant organizations don’t last 100 years,” he said.
During his speech, Futa compared the Rotary Club to a smartphone, which comes with programs known as apps that allow the phone to do almost anything.
“Apps turn this thing from a dumb phone to a smartphone,” he said. “To me, Rotarians are the apps of these communities.”
Since 1985, Rotary International has led the fight against the polio virus, which the Youngstown Rotary Club has contributed toward.
When the organization started its anti-polio cause, about 200 countries had the virus, said Schulick. That number has dropped down to three countries: Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria.
Futa was presented with a Rotary Wheel logo made by 3-D printing technology at America Makes in downtown.
Additionally, local contributions from the club were recognized. Mayor John A. McNally, who attended the luncheon, said he notices the time, money and effort invested in the community by organizations such as Youngstown’s Rotary Club.
“The dedication efforts of Rotarians have helped the city of Youngstown,” he said.
Some who attended the luncheon represented the club’s long history. During the 1950s, the club sponsored other Rotary clubs in Boardman, Canfield, Hubbard, Struthers, Girard/Liberty and Austintown.
“It’s a fabulous tribute to them,” said Sam Boak, president of the Canfield Rotary Club, which had half of its members attend the luncheon. “We wished more community leaders would get involved with the Rotary.”
Others who attended had family members who were involved with the Rotary. Fran Lynn-Into’s father, Donald Lynn, was the club’s president from 1939 to 1940.
“I’m proud to be here because I know what it meant to my father,” she said.
To wrap up the anniversary celebrations, the club will host a Centennial Gala at the Youngstown Country Club, 1402 Country Club Drive, at 6 tonight.
“A lot of hard work has been put into it,” said Paul Garchar jr., club president.