Best Wishes to the Danbury Rotary Club for 75 Years Of
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.· ~1c9d. otary, the world's first service organization was founded in 1905 by Chicago lawyer Paul P. Harris and three friends, to promote ............ ~ service and fellowship in the business community. Today Rotary International consists of 1,255,551 members of some 29, 726 clubs in 163 "'.......... countries who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical stan .:t~UWFees. dards in all vocations and help build goodwill and peace in the world. Diverse, energetic and successful business and community leaders, Rotarians provide expertise, resources and time to benefit the local and world com munities. Representing a cross-section of occupations and professions, meetings are weekly to share experiences, leam from knowledgeable speak ers and plan community projects. Membership is by invitation and is open •. CONGllATUlA TIONS to all businesspersons regardless of race, color, creed and sex. This year the Rotary Club of Danbury celebrates its 75t1t year of service. In ROT.ARY CLUB OF DANBURY 1996 our second club, a Sunrise Club that meets Friday mornings, was formed. Our two clubs with combined membership of approximately 78 men and women cooperate on activities and fundraisers. ON The Rotary Club ofDanbury was formed in the spring of 1926 from what had been the Booster's Club, a group of Danbury and Bethel men. They met each Wednesday noon at the Hotel Green and followed a general 7S YE.ABS OF SERVICEI program quite similar to that ofthe Rotary Club they were later to fonn. A lat:ge percentage of these business and professional men were colUlected We're a friendly, full-service, community-focused bank committed to serving the financial needs of consumers with the hatting industry. Albert Lavery of the Bridgeport Rotary Club and businesses throughout weatern Connecticut. conducted business with many members of the Booster's Club and pre sented to them the idea of forming a Rotary Club in this city. F«AllYour Ffnondal.Needs_ The Boosters were willing and insisted that the club be taken into the di -·---tun ..... For'lll• c1e1111.... Rotary as a unit with the exception of those who did not wish to join. (203) 830-4200 www.unionsavlngs.com The Rotary system of classification, with only one member ofa busi ness or industry, could not permit this many connected to the Wldi oftices in nine communities dl!UUJhout western .Connecdcut flediel • 8roolc(feld • Danbury • Kent • New Fairtleld • New MlfOtd • Newtown hatting industry. This hurdle was overcome with the result that • RldgetJeld • ShalUn Rotary International and guiding lights of Danbury and " M•mlMr FDIC Equal Housing Lender ti) Bridgeport agreed on a plan for a charter membership list .ll ~}'§ti ~ ya Biggs, James D. Gimmie) The charter membership was closed as ofApril 15, 1926. A list of the Holman, Winfield Scott (Windy) Secretary, Tweedy Silk Mills, Inc. Proprietor charter members, together with the business with which they were con Manager dye works Engineer and Contractor nected, their office in that business, the location of the business and the (¢\ I Bowen, Thomas J (I'om) Joy, Frederick T. (Fred) home address ofthe member was taken directly to Rotary headquarters Secretary, The Mallory Hat Co. Vice Pres., The Mallory Hat Co. in Chicago by Allan D. Colvin, of Hartford, Governor of the then Finance and Credit Manager Soft Hat Manufacturing Thirtieth Rotary District ;J I Brown, Fred C. (Fred) Lee, Frank H. (Frank) Cashier, Danbury National Bank President, The Frank H. Lee Co. The records of the Rotary Club ofDanbury include a letter from Gov Trust Department Straw Hat Manufacturing ernor Colvin to Judge j\fartin J. Cunningham; July 31, 1926, in which he Cunningham, Martin J. Gudge) Mallory, Charles A. (Charlie) wrote: "I beg to acknowledge your letter ofJuly 30th, enclosing the list Probate Law President, The Mallory Hat, Co. of directors and the Charter Membership of the Danbury Rotary Club, Dalton, Frederick B. (Fred) Stiff Hat Manufacturing which has reached me just before starting for Chicago. I am taking same Danbury News Publishing Co. McLachlan, Harry (Harry) with me and trust that I may get prompt action at Chicago." Then Publisher President, H. McLachlan & Co. followed the 25 names with the agreement ofthe officers of the Rotary Davenport, A. Shelton (Shelton) Rough Hat Manufacturing Club of Danbury. The agreement reads as following: ''We, the following Prop., Rogers Silver Plate Co. McLean, Charles Stuart (Stu) Silver Plate of the Rotary Club of Danbury, Connecticut, do hereby certify that this Proprietor, McLean Bros. Davis, Samuel A. (Sam) Dry Goods Retailing list constitutes the charter membership list and agreements of the Ro Proprietor Payne , Earl Hamilton (Earl) tary Club of Danbury, Connecticut." It was signed by Frank H. Lee, Corporation Law Bond Broker. P.W. Brooks & Co. President, and George R Green, Secretary. Deyo,JohnMaurice Gack) Bonds, Bond Broker Minister These are the 25 charter members as submitted to Rotary International Peck, Charles S. (Senator) First Ecclesiastical Society President, Peck Coal Co. together with the business with which they were connected and their Doran, James F. Gim) Coal Retailing position in that business: Partner, Doran Bros. Shepard, George F. (Shep) Hat Machinery Manufacturing Pres., George A Shepard & Sons Fillow, A. Homer (Fil) Mfg. Hat Leathers Manager, Fillow Auto Co. Shepard,i\fortonW. (.Mort) Studebaker Car Agency Supt., George A. Shepard & Sons Green, George F. (Geo) Tanner President, John W. Green & Sons Tweedy, Arthur E. (Art) Felt Hat Manufacturing President , Tweedy Silk 1-fills, Inc. Griffing, Martin H. Silk EJtP-ert President, City National Bank Woodruff;JohnF. Commercial Banking Prop.,JohnF. Woodruff &Co. Hodshon,AlfredA. (Al) Haberdashery, Retailing Manager and Treasurer Sunfast Hats, Inc. ~ti.I. :"5~. ~tlL :~ Charter night was a gala affair with nearly 400 attending representing twenty tions from members, reverse birthday gifts and "fines". Approximately 75 clubs in the 30th Rotary district. Donald Adams of New Haven, a past R.I. children were involved in this project and benefited from it · president and ~\lvin Colvin, District Govemor ofHartford attended. Halloween parades were another civic project The first annual was held in Mr. Colvin presented the charter to the Danbury Club President, Reverend 1947 with several hundred children and teenagers involved and viewed by John Deyo andA.Z. Bodine of the Bridgeport Club gave the club its over 20,000 persons .•\fterward parties were held in various places for the banner. The first slate of officers was: different age groups. President Rev: John Deyo During the Second World War a donation of money was sent to the Rotary Vice President Frank H. Lee Club in Walton-on-Thames, England at Christmas time when conditions Charles S. Peck in England were grim. Secrerary: GeorgeEGreen Ifnot for the Danbury Rotarians, the educational center on White Street where the WESTCONN University buildings now stand might not have .. Treasurer: MartinH. Griffing.Jr. been as it is now. There was a movement to sell the property to be subdi Directors: Charles Carter, FrankH. Lee, Charles S. Peck, vided for houses and Rotary took an emphatic stand against it thus block James E Doran, George E Green, ing the movement George Hamilton, Shelton Davenport and On another occasion, a club committee talked to officials of the New Judge Martin J. Cunningham. Haven Railroad on the possibility ofobtaining land on Ives Street for the The Rotary Club ofDanburywas intei:estedin civic affairs from the very start parking of automobiles. The present parking lot is the outcome of that In 1927 it was active in securing property in :rvfuy Brook as the site of an action. airport. On several occasions, Rotarian Bob Dobbs talked of the need for a larger Also in its first year, the Rotary Club was host to the Governor of Connecti. and better trade school. His efforts resulted in the present Henry Abbott cut at its meeting during Fair Week After hmch the Governor and Rotarians Regional Technical School would tour the fairgrounds and enjoy the festivities. This event continued When the Danbury Llbratywas being moved, many Rotarians helped pack into the mid 1980's when the Fair closed and still the Governor was invited and transport thousands of volumes from the old building to the new into the 90's to attend a luncheon in October. building one quarter mile away. Itwas in 1946 that the Rotary Club of Danbury began to functi.on as a service When the Nature Center needed help, Don Stone donated the paint and a club. Plans were made to transport o:ippleclchildren to a workshop in Bridge dozen Rotarians were there to paint the entire building. port.Judge William Cable, President purchased a station wagon for this purpose and the children were also transported to Newington, New The club donated a mini-bus to D.-\T.\HR for use in their programs. Haven and Danbury Hospital Later several station wagons were The club donated and furnished all the equipment needed to through ''Van" Van Houten who did much to make purchased establish a Clinic Room in Wooster Manor building for the these vehicles possible. They were paid for by contribu- elderly on West Wooster Street Joe Canale, John Creasy and il ~1au. ~ /§ Dr. Peter Jameson did much work on that project In 1982 the Danbury Club sponsored the formation of th~ Brookfield Rotary Club, a breakfast meetlng at 7:30 am Monday mornings. Al During the presidencies of Bob Hull and Ben Heyman the club pledged Chadwick, one ofour own became the first president with 22 members. $10,000 for the establishment of the Renal Dialysis Department at Danbury Hospital. 'This pledge paid for the purchase of two renal dialysis machines In July 1993 the Club voted to support the restoration of the Rogers Park benefiting hundreds ofpatlents and enabling many to have renal transplants.