Chartering the Club
It was felt by a number of men in the Storm Lake community that it would be beneficial to gather a bunch of business and professional men to meet frequently over lunch to talk over the affairs of the growing city, devise plans for its improvements and suggest ways to accomplish needed projects. Cocking (superintendent of the City School) journeyed to Ohio to meet with fellow sc
hool superintendents and while there met an enthusiastic bunch of Rotarians. After being explained the purpose of Rotary, Cocking presented the idea of Rotary to men in Storm Lake who eventually formed the organization Storm Lake Rotary Club. Dumbaugh, George J. Schaller, Carl C. Jackson, and Albert Harrison. This committee decided on a group of men to involve in the club, and with that, the organizing committee went to the Board of Directors of Rotary to finally create the Storm Lake Rotary Club. The club was not formed without its glitches however, to be considered for a Rotary Club a town was to have a population of 5,000 and Storm Lake had a population of only 3,658. But with the enthusiasm shown by the organizing committee, that requirement was overlooked. The first meeting of the Storm Lake Rotary Club was held at 7:00pm on Friday, April 23, 1920 at the Bradford Hotel. Over 20 members (including members from LeMars and Cherokee) were present. At this meeting, steps were taken to organize the Storm Lake Rotary Club. The application was sent to headquarters and approved, as the club was chartered as Rotary Club 719 with a charter fee of $25. Then and Now
When the club first started, regular meetings were held on Tuesdays at noon (which is still the case in 2022). The initiation fee was $10 and the dues were $20. Today, in 2022, dues are paid quarterly. They include the weekly noon meal, District and International dues, magazine and other miscellaneous fees. Membership dues are typically $125 per quarter. At the beginning, Rotary was a men’s organization and it was one of the provisions of the Rotary constitution. After many years, opening the door for women to join Rotary was at the discretion of each club. In 1989, four women were invited to join the Storm Lake Rotary Club. These pioneers were: Vicky Ruekert, Julie Egland, Becki (Mills) Drahota, and Diane Dykema. There are even days that the number of women members present exceeds the number of men members present. The Rotary Club was the first service club organized in Storm Lake and some of the first projects included the improvement of the athletic park and the growth of the Commercial Club. In 2010, the Storm Lake Rotary Club distributed around $9,000 to local clubs and organizations thanks to the two large fundraisers the members do throughout the year (Storm Lake Rotary Radio Days in the spring and the Rotary BBQ event in the fall). Some of the clubs and organizations that benefit from the Storm Lake Rotary Club include (but are not limited to): Storm Lake Youth Baseball, Storm Lake Youth Softball, Storm Lake Whitecaps, The Bridge, Field of Dreams, Storm Lake Tornado Booster Club, Storm Lake St. Mary’s, Community Ed, Faith, Hope & Charity, Storm Lake Foundation, BVU Accounting and Business Association, and Ready, Set, Grow Learning Center. Rotary International
Rotary is an international humanitarian service organization. The men and women of Rotary are business and professional leaders who volunteer their time and resources to help others in their local communities as well as throughout the world. Rotary clubs carry out a variety of service projects that address critical issues including poverty, hunger, illiteracy, substance abuse, and pollution. Service to youth, especially children at risk, is a major emphasis. Rotary hoped to eliminate polio by 2005, Rotary’s 100th anniversary, but the PolioPlus project still continues today with much improvement. The goal to eliminate polio remains. Rotary is a service driven organization. Founded in 1905, Rotary is the world’s first service organization. The Rotary motto “Service Above Self” concerns itself with truth, fairness, and improved relations between people and world peace. Rotary is a global network of 1.4 million members in more than 46,000 clubs found in 200 countries. Rotary members meet weekly to plan services activities. Rotary clubs are autonomous and determine their own service projects based on local needs and interests and the abilities of its membership. Rotary members contribute approximately 47 million volunteer hours each year. For more information regarding Rotary International visit www.rotary.org.
