ROTARY CLUB OF LAKELAND, FLORIDA (RG5450) 1918-1968
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SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
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The Lakeland Rotary Club, the oldest service club in the city, was organized on February 18, 1918 at the Hotel Staten by 24 gentlemen, each representing a distinctive industry, profession or line of business. Five additional businessmen who were absent from the initial meeting also became charter members. They adopted by-laws, fixed an initiation fee of $10 and annual dues of $15, and elected nine directors: C. M. Clayton, O. M. Eaton, W. W. Chase, C. E. Todd, F. T. Benford, W. S. Moore, C. O. Pinch, J. Holworthy, and M. F. Hetherington. These directors elected the following officers: President - W. W. Chase, Vice President - M. F. Hetherington, Secretary - A. J. Holworthy, Treasurer - C. M. Clayton, and Sergeant-at-Arms - E. G. Purcell.
Lakeland Rotary supports many civic projects, with emphasis on youth development, including Camp Rotary on the shore of Lake Julianna, Auburndale. The club is open to boys and girls of all youth organizations. Rotary has also sponsored college scholarships, an exchange student program at Lakeland High School, and leadership seminars for high school students.
The club records are listed alphabetically in the Subject Files. The Special Collections unit also houses a history of the local Rotary Cllub entitled 50 Golden Years, 1918-1968: A Brief History of the Lakeland Rotary. (SC 975.967, L426f).
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