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Rotary USA
NEWARK ROTARY CLUB
7/2013
http://www.rotaryclubnewarknj.org/
The Newark NJ Rotary club was started in 1910 and chartered as the 49th club in 1912. This makes it officially 101 years old.
It was originally organized through the efforts of Frederick Payne, a Newark attorney. He had visited Chicago where he heard about Rotary and then started it with a few friends, upon his return.
There were six men in the original club, including Dr Van Winkle (nick-named Rip) He was a dentist and was member #1 until his death in 1970 after almost 60 years in the Club.
During the first 10 years the Club grew to nearly 100 members.
Originally, the club met monthly, in the evening but later changed to weekly lunches. Membership reached 200 in 1926 and they had the best attendance records for large clubs that year.
The 25th anniversary party, in 1935, was attended by Paul Harris.
During WW2 more than $1,000,000 in war bonds were purchased by the members.
Membership was 257 in 1950 and peaked at 266 in 1959.
Currently the club meets a Rio Rodizio (across from NJPAC) on Tuesdays at 12:30.
I gave a presentation there in March and was very surprised by the attendance. Although most of the regulars were there, we all fit comfortably around a table the same size as we have here. I was the tenth person at the table.
The lunch was particularly good, at this Brazilian steakhouse with an enormous buffet.