Rotary Club celebrates centennial anniversary
Rotary Club of Shreveport is celebrating its 100-year anniversary this year as part of an international organization that endeavors to provide humanitarian service, promote ethics, peace and goodwill, according to its charter.
“Service above self is the motto,” said local club president Carol Barnes. “We do that by participation throughout the community. This club is the oldest club in town and the largest in this area. It was formed in early 1914.”
According to the local club’s history, Rotary Club of Shreveport was chartered on Feb. 28, 1914, as the first club in north Louisiana. The club became part of the district made up of 19 clubs from Texas and Louisiana. It is currently part of a group of more than 30 clubs in Louisiana alone.
In 2014, incoming local president Francesca Moreland said she’ll be busy getting to know more about the scope of the organization. “That’s one of the awe-inspiring things about coming in as the new president,” she said. “I’m going to go to learn more about how our club can be engaged with the rest of the world in international issues.
The Rotary Foundation funds things like missions to provide water wells and key basic needs to other parts of the world.”
Moreland said she’s been a member of the local club for many years and finds it rewarding to have the opportunity to find ways to serve the local community. Some of the local initiatives she named were providing personal dictionaries for local students, awarding grants to nonprofit organizations for projects, and staging the annual Dragon Boat Race. The race on the Red River is the major fundraiser for the local club and provides local residents with a recreational opportunity, Moreland said.
“When I heard about the Dragon Boats, I jumped up because I just wanted us to have something on our Red River. I had never participated in recreation on the Red River in a meaningful way before. You don’t have to be a professional; you can just join a team,” she said. “The thing that’s happened is that there are a lot of passionate people out there who love to do the Dragon Boat Races. There are a lot of people who just love getting on the river. They want a fun, family thing they can do on a pretty day.”
She said besides working on social issues, Rotarians come together as a forum to discuss and learn more about events that are shaping the local community. She said they are fortunate to hear from speakers from all facets of business, industry and politics who explain events, answer questions and keep the members informed. She calls that a real benefit of Rotary membership.
Rotary’s member rolls are limited, according to the website, and Moreland said the club’s members come from the managers, owners and operators of businesses in downtown Shreveport.
Barnes said the centennial year would be celebrated with a number of special events, kicking off with a luncheon on Feb. 4. The luncheon will feature Carl Chinnery, a Rotarian himself.
– Joe Todaro
