Rotary Club Of Aberdeen :: District 7620 Chartered June 1950

About Rotary

Definition of Rotary

Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide, who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.

There are approximately 1.2 million Rotarians, members of 31,936 Rotary clubs in 166 countries.

Rotary is not a political organization, but all Rotarians are vitally concerned with everything pertaining to good citizenship and the election of good men and women to public office.

Rotary is not a charitable organization, yet its activities exemplify the charity and the sacrifices that one should expect from people who believe that they have a responsibility to help others.

Rotary is not a religious organization, but it is built on those eternal principles that have served as the moral compass for people throughout the ages.

A Brief History

Rotary's first day and the years that followed...

February 23, 1905. The airplane had yet to stay aloft more than a few minutes. The first motion picture theater had not yet opened. Norway and Sweden were peacefully terminating their union. On this particular day, a Chicago lawyer, Paul P. Harris, called three friends to a meeting. What he had in mind was a club that would kindle fellowship among members of the business community. It was an idea that grew from his desire to find within the large city the kind of friendly spirit that he knew in the villages where he had grown up.

The four businessmen didn't decide then and there to call themselves a Rotary club, but their get-together was, in fact, the first meeting of the world's first Rotary club. As they continued to meet, adding others to the group, they rotated their meetings among the members' places of business, hence the name. Soon after the club name was agreed upon, one of the new members suggested a wagon wheel design as the club emblem. It was the precursor of the familiar cogwheel emblem now worn by Rotarians around the world. By the end of 1905, the club had 30 members.

The second Rotary club was formed in 1908 half a continent away from Chicago in San Francisco, California. It was a much shorter leap across San Francisco Bay to Oakland, California, where the third club was formed. Others followed in Seattle, Washington, Los Angeles, California, and New York City, New York. Rotary became international in 1910 when a club was formed in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. By 1921 the organization was represented on every continent, and the name Rotary International was adopted in 1922.

Rotary Motto

"Service Above Self"

The Rotary Club

Meets once each week for breakfast, luncheon or dinner.
Membership is formed on the unique plan of at least one active and representative person from each line of business and profession in the community.

Object of Rotary

The object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise. The ideal of service is fostered; through the development of acquaintance as the opportunity for service; the promotion of high ethical standards in business and professions; through service in one's personal, business, and community life; and the advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace.

Benefits of Rotary

Making the acquaintance of people you ought to know.
Genuine, wholesome good fellowship.
Developing true and helpful friends.
Enlightenment as to other people's work, problems and successes.
Education in methods that increase efficiency.
Stimulation of your desire to be of service to your fellow men, women and society in general.

Obligations of Rotary

To attend meetings regularly.
To pay membership dues.
To serve your club and community when called upon.
To be a big-hearted, broad-minded person - a person of energy and action - a Rotarian.

Four Way Test - the Heart of Rotary

One of the most widely printed and quoted statements of business ethics in the world is the Rotary 4-Way Test. It was created by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor in 1932 when he was asked to take charge of a company that was facing bankruptcy. Taylor looked for a way to save the struggling company mired in depression-caused financial difficulties. He drew up a 24-word code of ethics for all employees to follow in their business and professional lives. The 4-Way Test became the guide for sales, production, advertising and all relations with dealers and customers, and the survival of the company is credited to this simple philosophy.

The 4-Way Test was adopted by Rotary in 1943 and has been translated into more than a hundred languages and published in thousands of ways. Herb Taylor became president of Rotary International in 1954-55.

Of the things we think, say or do:

Is it the Truth?
Is it fair to all Concerned?
Will it build good will and better Friendships?
Will it be beneficial to all Concerned?

Declaration of Rotarians in Businesses and Professions

The Declaration of Rotarians in Businesses and Professions was adopted by the Rotary

Consider my vocation to be another opportunity to serve;
Be faithful to the letter and to the spirit of the ethical codes of my vocation, to the laws of my country, and to the moral standards of my community;
Do all in my power to dignify my vocation and to promote the highest ethical standards in my chosen vocation;
Be fair to my employer, employees, associates, competitors, customers, the public and all those with whom I have a business or professional relationship;
Recognize the honor and respect due to all occupations which are useful to society;
Offer my vocational talents: to provide opportunities for young people, to work for the relief of the special needs of others, and to improve the quality of life in my community;
Adhere to honesty in my advertising and in all representations to the public concerning my business or profession;
Neither seek from nor grant to a fellow Rotarian a privilege or advantage not normally accorded others in a business or professional relationship.

History of The Rotary Club of Aberdeen

by Jon Harlan Livezey, 1992

edited by Jim Lindsey, 2009

The Rotary Club of Aberdeen was chartered June 28, 1950, under the sponsorship of the Havre de Grace club. The first meeting was held at the ARC building, then located on the south-west corner of North Parke & Franklin Streets. The building was torn down in the summer of 1998, to make way for Aberdeen’s new city hall. Regular membership in Rotary is based on one’s holding a managerial or ownership position in a specific classification. The Aberdeen club since the beginning has been representative of the leading businesses and professionals of the area. The official definition of Rotary is an organization of business and professional persons united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help build goodwill and peace in the world.

The 24 charter members were: Father Walter H. Ahern, Christian, Catholic; Thomas F. Colleran, Public Defense; Clark D. Connellee, Motion Picture Theatre; Dr. Edwin D. Cruit, Dentistry; John W. Gayley, Metal Work Industry; Isidor Goldstrom, Jewelry Retailing; J. Burleigh Harward, Canned Goods Broker; Louis G. Katz, Women’s Clothing Retail; Harold Knight, General Merchandise Retail; Norman J. Lee, Automobile Retailing; Samuel G. McClellan, Ice Manufacturing; Dr. Brown McDonald, Jr., Physician; William R. Magsamen, Flower Retailing; T. Charles Miller, Agriculture Equipment Distributor; Parker Mitchell, Jr., Vegetable Canning; C. Curtis Morgan, Oil Products Distributor; Charles T. Oliver, Insurance, fire & life; William H. Rawhouser, Jr., Banking; Henry G. Reiner, Architecture; Oscar R. Tarring, Hardware Retailing; John G. Tarring, Funeral Director; Robert L. Tarring, Radio & TV Retailing; Frederick J. Viele, Lumber Retailing; and Philip Webster, Real Estate Agency. The officers for the 1950-51 Rotary year were: Edwin D. Cruit, President; Thomas F. Colleran, Vice- President; John W. Gayley, Secretary; and William H. Rawhouser, Treasurer. The board of directors were: Norman J. Lee, C. Curtis Morgan and Parker Mitchell, Jr.

The club has grown steadily, and now numbers 45 members. In addition to special programs, it meets regularly at 12 noon on Mondays for lunch and a speaker. The club met originally in the ARC building until the late 1950's. It then met at the Redwood Inn, on the east side of North Philadelphia Boulevard until 1972. The building was torn down and replaced by the new Exxon gas station, when the pedestrian & car over pass was constructed over the Amtrak railroad right of way, at East Bel Air Avenue. It was then that the club moved to the Holiday Inn, on West Bel Air Avenue, which is now the Quality Inn. In 1987 the club moved again to the Colonel’s Choice Restaurant on Route 40. From the spring of 1998, the club has met at Yogi’s All-American, thru March of 2000, located on West Bel Air Avenue, in the Quality Inn. Since April of 2000 the club has met at the Holiday Inn Chesapeake House, located at 1009 Beards Hill Road. Making-up missed meetings is a requirement, and Aberdeen, as a luncheon club, often hosts members of nearby clubs as well as visitors in town from afar.

While fellowship keeps the local clubs going, Rotary International is a service organization which promotes all kinds of projects by which members may serve their fellow man, such as Polio Plus, a successful campaign which will completely eradicated the crippling disease of Polio in the year 2005. Locally, Aberdeen Rotarians have for years manned the kettles for the Salvation Army, and have led the other organizations in the amount collected. International exchanges of young businesspeople sponsored by Rotary International have been hosted by local members. Promoting international understanding is one of Rotary’s aims, and the Aberdeen club has sponsored an evening of fellowship with the foreign military personnel at Aberdeen Proving Ground on a regular basis over the years.

Much of the local club’s community assistance is financial, with a scholarship program and donations to worthy projects, as the members are often directly active in charitable organizations, such as the Boys & Girls Club of Harford County, Boy Scouts of America, Harford Hospice, Martha’s Meal, the Aberdeen High School Stadium Project, Ceiling Fans For Halls Cross Roads School and the Saturday Special Program.

Local clubs and members may make sizable contributions to the Rotary Foundation for charitable purposes and thereby obtain the right to designate someone as a Paul Harris Fellow, named in honor of the founder of Rotary International. The highest honor that the Rotary Club of Aberdeen bestows on its members is the Paul Harris Fellowship Award. Edwin D. "Doc" Cruit was the first president of the Rotary Club of Aberdeen. He was honored posthumously as the Rotary Club of Aberdeen’s first Paul Harris Fellow. Alist of those so honored follows: Edwin D. Cruit, John W. Gayley, Parker Mitchell, Jr., C. Curtis Morgan, Richard L. Harvey, John R. Pierce, Robert L. Tarring, J. Wade Carroll, Wilbur S. Scholl, Frank G. Novak, Clark D. Connellee, Steve Karas, Jr., Frederick O. Mitchell, II, Charles T. Oliver, Charles M. Oliver, Allen R. Philippe, Peter P. Rodman, David A. Simons, Alton Vann, Sr., David Yeager, Norman K. "Skip" Moulsdale, Jr., G. DeWayne Curry, Donald K. Tag, Robert H. Lemmon, Jon Harlan Livezey, Robert M. Plummer, John S. Karas, Charles N. Morris, Tony L. Bennett, Robert A. Boyle, Richard W. Wilkinson, Jim Lindsey, Ernie Sadera, Ron Kupferman, Peter Dacey, Patricia Donovan, Charlotte Mock and Kevin Ferrell.

The club also has chosen to so honor non-members, D. Bennett Smith, Jr., for his fine service to the community in the Aberdeen Fire Department, Donarae Moulsdale for her work with the Annual Golf Tournament, and Dorothy Morgan as the wife of Charter Member Curtis Morgan. Also club member Robert Plummer & his wife have honored Charles Spang a long time friend and community leader. George J. Englesson was presented a Paul Harris by his son John Englesson who is a Rotarian in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Our current President is Sheryl Davis Kohl, 2010-2011, the President-Elect 2010-11 is Steven Beyer, the Executive Secretary is Jim Lindsey, the Secretary is Karen Novak and the Treasurer is Chad Blevins.

List of Presidents

The following is a list of Past Presidents of the Rotary Club of Aberdeen: Edwin D. Cruit, 1950-51; John W. Gayley, 1951-52; J. Burleigh Harward, 1952-53; Charles T. Oliver, 1953-54; Parker Mitchell, Jr., 1954-55; C. Curtis Morgan, 1955-56; N. Joseph Lee, Jr., 1956-57, J. Anthony Konstant, 1957-58; Clark D. Connellee, 1958-59; Samuel C. Lytle, 1959-60; Richard L. Harvey, Jr., 1960-61; Frank G. Novak, Jr., 1961-62; Elwood V. Stark, 1962-63; Benjamin W. Towner, 1963-64; Frederick J. Viele, 1964-65; Frederick O. Mitchell, II, 1965-66; Robert E. Waters, 1966-67; Herbert E. Rubin, 1967-68; Allen R. Philippe, 1968-69; Wilbur S. Scholl, 1969-70; Weldon Bittikofer, 1970-71; David A. Simmons, 1971; Alton Vann, Sr., 1971-72; Charles M. Oliver, 1972-73; James M. Bays, 1973-74; Clarence C. Boyle, 1974-75; Donald K. Tag, 1975-76; G. Kessler Livezey, III, 1976; Jon Harlan Livezey, 1976-77; Robert M. Plummer, 1977-78; John R. Pierce, 1978-79; Robert H. Lemmon, 1979-80; David Jaeger, 1980-81; Albert F. Kotras, 1981-82; Robert W. Shutt, 1982-83; Joachim H. Becker, 1983-84; Robert L. Tarring, 1984-85; James A. Collier, 1985-86; John S. Karas, 1986-87; Tony L. Bennett, 1987-88; Norman "Skip" K. Moulsdale, Jr., 1988-89; Robert A Boyle, 1989-90; David K. Beyer, Sr., 1990-91; Charles N. Morris, 1991-92; Richard W. Wilkinson, 1992-93; Alan W. Anderson, 1993-94; Douglas S. Wilson, 1994-95; G. DeWayne Curry 1995; Ernest Sadera, 1995-96; Edward Schueler, 1996-97; Ronald Kupferman, 1997-98; George J. Englesson, 1998-99; Peter A. Dacey, 1999-2000, Jim Lindsey, 2000-01, Ray Pollard, 2001-02, Patricia Donovan, 2002-03; Charlotte Mock, 2003-04; Gary Barnoff, 2004-05; Terry Bartley, 2005-06, Kelly M. Hinder, 2006-07; Donald R. Curry, 2007-08, G. David Lynch, 2008-09; Ronald E. Almacy, 2009-10; Sheryl Davis Kohl, 2010-11.

Annual Citizenship Award

This award program was begun in the1996-1997 Rotary year by Past President R. Edward Schueler to honor a non-Rotarian Aberdeen community volunteer.

Past recipients of this award are:

Jerome J. Lacey, Jr., 1996-1997

Charles H. Jacobs, Jr., 1997-1998

Ronald O. Landbeck, 1998-1999

Charlotte G. Cronin, 1999-2000

James V. McMahon, Jr., 2000-2001

Charles W. Baker, 2001-2002

William F. White, 2002-2003

Pershing E. Volkart, 2003-2004

D. Bennett Smith, 2004-2005

Judy Hinch, 2005-2006

Mary Barnhart, 2006-2007

Mark Schlottman, 2007-2008

Joe Swisher, 2008-2009

Edward Bubnick, 2009-2010