Rotary - the first "civic club" in the world had its humble beginnings in Chicago on February 23, 1905 when Paul Harris, a lawyer, called together three associates for an evening meeting and decided to form a club where they could deal in friendship and trust and exchange business with one another. This club became known as Rotary Club # 1. The idea of "Rotary" rapidly expanded across the United States and then the world. Today there are over 1.2 million members in almost 32,000 clubs comprising 529 districts in 166 countries in the world. Glenn E. Estess, Sr., a member of the Rotary Club of Shades Valley in Birmingham, Alabama, serves as the President of Rotary International this year.

The object of all Rotary clubs is the same and that is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster: First - The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service; Second - High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying of each Rotarian's occupation as an opportunity to serve society; Third - The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, business, and community life; Fourth - The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.

Rotary came to Nebraska in 1910 when the president of the St. Louis Rotary Club visited Lincoln to do business with F. C. "Dad" Phillips, owner of a plumbing company, and suggested to him that a club be organized in Lincoln. On August 18, 1910 the Lincoln Rotary Club # 14 was chartered as the first club in Nebraska with F. C. Phillips as its first president. It was the 14th Rotary club to be organized in the world and was sponsored by the St. Louis Rotary Club. There were thirteen charter members - each representing a different business or profession.

The membership of Lincoln Rotary Club # 14, and especially member Charles N. Cadwallader who served as the Club President during the 1932-33 year and as a District Governor during the 1937-38 year, promoted the growth of Rotary in Nebraska. Lincoln Rotary Club # 14 was responsible for establishing most of the early clubs in Nebraska, and a total of 18 clubs - namely Downtown Omaha Club # 37, Kearney, York, Beatrice, Fremont, Hastings, Norfolk, Aurora, Falls City, Alliance, Chadron, Scottsbluff, Crete, Ashland, Humboldt, Lincoln East, Lincoln South, and Lincoln Sunrise. Most of these clubs were the sponsoring clubs of the other Rotary clubs in Nebraska. Today there are 76 Rotary clubs, represented by four Rotary Districts, in Nebraska. These clubs have a total membership of almost 4,000. The two clubs with the most members are the Omaha Downtown Club # 37, chartered on August 11, 1911, with almost 350 members and the Lincoln Rotary Club # 14 with over 300 members.

Rotary International created Rotary districts in 1915 as geographical areas in which Rotary clubs are combined for R.I. administrative purposes and also to help the individual Rotary clubs within it to advance the Object of Rotary. Each district is led by a District Governor.

The Rotary clubs in Nebraska in 1915 were a part of District # 10 which included the areas of Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota and North Dakota. The first District Governor was John O. Knutson of Sioux City, Iowa. Since 1915 there have been a number of reorganizations of Rotary Districts in both numbers and geographical areas. Today four districts, - 5440, 5610, 5630 and 5650 - represent the clubs in Nebraska.

The Object of Rotary has been faithfully adhered to in all clubs since they were chartered. It is not possible to list all of the Community Service projects in which each club has been involved over the years in their respective communities or of the many contributions that have been made in the International Service, Vocational Service and Club Service areas. However, mention must be made of some of them in each of the Rotary districts represented in Nebraska.

In District 5440, represented by the Morrill and Scottsbluff/Gering Rotary Clubs, major projects have been involvement in a community recycling program; the sponsoring of Cub and Boy Scouts; literacy projects with a community college; and service projects with Mexico and Russia. This year William H. Muldoon, III of the Craig Rotary Club (CO), serves as District Governor and also for 45 clubs in Colorado and Wyoming.

In District 5610, represented by the South Sioux City Rotary Club, the club's first large project was to provide assistance to people in their community following a devastating flood. An annual Fireworks Project has been sponsored for more than 25 years. In 2002 this club became known as a Paul Harris Club which means that all members are Paul Harris Fellows - having given at least $1,000 each to The Rotary Foundation. This year David R. Henning of the Brookings Rotary Club (So. Dak). serves as District Governor and also for 40 clubs in Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota.

In District 5630, representing 35 clubs, its oldest club is the Kearney Rotary Club which was chartered in 1918. This is significant because at that time Rotary International thought a club could not properly function in a city with fewer than 25,000 inhabitants. Rotary International consented to admitting it as an experiment and the rest is history. One of the early highlights of the Kearney Club was a visit from Chief Justice William Taft who later became the President of the United States. The clubs in the district have had for many years a strong RYLA and Youth Exchange Program. This year Ken Gnadt of the Grand Island Noon Rotary Club serves as District Governor for the district's 1,453 members.

In District 5650, comprised of 38 clubs in Nebraska and six clubs in Iowa, there have also been a large number of projects in which the membership of the clubs has been involved to fulfill the Avenue of Community Service. Lincoln Rotary Club # 14 helped establish the Lincoln Community Chest (now known as the United Way); the Better Business Bureau; the YMCA Camp Strader; Girl Scout Camp Catron; the West Lincoln Community Center; and the TeamMates Mentoring Program. In addition Lincoln Rotary Club # 14 conceived the idea of a Lincoln General Hospital and led a public campaign that raised $100,000 to match an equal amount of City of Lincoln funds. Omaha Downtown Rotary Club # 37 provided assistance in the development of the Movement of Boy Scouts in Omaha in 1916; helped establish the Easter Seal society in 1923; spearheaded the building of a Barrier Free Park for disabled children; helped form a youth workshop to explore the nature; and with the Rotary Club of Belize and the Metro Community College provided equipment and instructors to help develop the Technical Trade Profession.

Some of the projects conducted over the years of some of the other clubs in District 5650 are: Beatrice Rotary Club - Sponsored an immunization clinic for elementary students; Lincoln East Rotary Club- Holds an annual Rotary Sunshine Picnic for handicapped youth and their families; Hebron Rotary Club - Conducts a Rotary Duck Race to raise funds for community projects; Omaha Suburban Rotary Club - Developed and conducts a project of working with Goodwill Industries to help place persons with disabilities into competitive employment; Norfolk, David City and Fairbury Rotary Clubs - Provide assistance at the Red Cross Bloodmobile; York - Conducted a "Clothing to Mexico" project; and the Bellevue Rotary Club - Conducts an annual Spring Fling Dinner, Dance and Auction to provide funds for scholarships for area students. This year James Blue of the Bellevue Rotary Club serves as District Governor.

Throughout the State of Nebraska the Rotary clubs and Rotary members participate in the PolioPlus Program - a program of Rotary International to eliminate polio in the world - through monetary contributions and by traveling to countries in the world to provide assistance in the actual immunization of children.

Rotary clubs and members have for many years participated in the Group Study Exchange Program of Rotary International. The primary goal of this program is to advance international understanding and good will in the world by having five member teams spend about four weeks in another country studying that country's institutions, economy, and culture while observing how their own professions are practiced abroad.

Since Rotary was established in Nebraska many members have provided their knowledge, energy, and enthusiasm to the promotion of the ideals of Rotary by serving in various offices of Rotary International. Charles N. Cadwallader, a Past President of Lincoln Rotary Club # 14 and Past District Governor, and; Ben Hormel, a Past President of the McCook Rotary Club and Past District Governor, and Harry Russell, a Past President of the Hastings Noon Rotary Club and a Past District Governor, all served on the Board of Directors of R. I.; and Howard Vann, a Past President of the Omaha Suburban Rotary Club and a Past District Governor, served on the Board of Directors of R.I., as the Vice President of R. I. during the 1994-1995 year and as a Trustee of The Rotary Foundation of R. I. Frank Goldberg, a Past President of the Omaha Suburban Rotary Club and a Past District Governor, will serve as a Director of R. I. beginning July 1, 2005.

Two of the Governors of the State of Nebraska, Charles Thone and Frank Morrison, served as Rotary District Governors.

Prepared by: PDG Merle E. Jansen - February 2005

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