CHAIR, EMERITUS: GLORIA SWAYZEE
The
Rotary Global History Project
ROTARY
INTERNATIONAL: Big things have
small beginnings. Rotary's Founder, Paul
Harris, a Chicago lawyer, felt somewhat lost in the large
city, so he invited three friends to lunch at his office on
February 23, 1905. Each week, they began rotating between offices for lunch,
and this is how the name "Rotary" was established. Today, there are
1.2 million Rotarians in 168 countries, 530 Districts and almost
30,000 individual Rotary Clubs. Rotary International
is the largest service organization in the
world. ROTARY
INTERNATIONAL HOMEPAGE ROTARY - THE EARLY
YEARS ROTARY -
MILESTONES
THE ROTARY CLUB OF
SCOTTSDALE: The Rotary Club of Scottsdale was chartered
on February 26, 1954. The Club's first
seasonal meeting places were Lulu Belle, The Valley Ho Hotel and the
Camelback Inn (pictured at right). The first community projects
were Educational Scholarships. These scholarships continue
today as Scottsdale Rotary's longest standing community
service. The First President was Roland
"Rolly" Feltman. Click
here to see our current programs & projects.
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Acclaimed Members: 25
Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce Presidents, 18 Inductees to
the Scottsdale History Hall of Fame, Ten Past Presidents of
the Boys & Girls Club, Charter
Member Earl Shipp, Centenarian Charlie Minning, ,
Artist Robert T. McCall, WWII Ace and Congressional
Medal of Honor Recipient Joe Foss (D), Rotary International Director Rodger
Wagner (D), Scottsdale Mayor Herb Drinkwater, every Mayor
since Herb, and hundreds of the Valley's business
and community leaders.
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Notable
Speakers: Senator Barry Goldwater, Senator John
McCain, Broadcaster Hugh Downs, Vice President Dan Quayle, Actor
Pat O'Brien, Medal of Honor Recipients Joe Foss & Fred
Ferguson, Former Interior Secretary James Watt, California
Governor Pete Wilson, every Arizona Governor since and including
Bruce Babbitt, Congressman John Shadegg, Congressman J.D.
Hayworth, Sportscaster Joe Garagiola, Arizona Diamondbacks &
Phoenix Suns Owner Jerry Colangelo, ASU Coaches Frank Kush and
Dirk Koetterer and most Arizona politicians and Valley
leaders of note since 1954.
R.I. DISTRICT 5510:
Until 1971 Arizona had only one district, and at that
time it was divided into two, Districts 549 and 550. In 1990 Rotary
in Arizona had become large enough to once again be divided, this
time into three districts, and our District 551 was formed. It
comprises the northeast portion of the state, including the city of
Phoenix east from 7th Street to the New Mexico border and
south from the Pinal County line north to Page, Arizona. There
were 38 Rotary Clubs in the district at its beginning. Rodger
Wagner of the Rotary Club of Scottsdale was the charter District
Governor.
In 1991 Rotary changed its district numbering system, and we
became District 5510. We now have 45 clubs in our district and
nearly 1,700 Rotarians. The Rotary Club of Scottsdale is the largest
club in the district, and among our members are five Rotary
International Past District Governors.
 
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