The Rotary Club of Fort Wayne

The Rotary Club of Fort Wayne. Celebrating 100 Years of "Service Above Self". , The Rotary Club of Fort Wayne was established January 9, 1915, when 35 local business professionals and community leaders held the Clubs first meeting at the former Commercial Club on Harrison Street in downtown Fort Wayne. In the 100 years since that day, the Downtown Rotary has been an integral part of the fabric of downtown Fort Wayne., In its early years the Club sponsored Fort Wayne's first public swimming pool at Lawton Park, formed a booster club to promote Fort Wayne's entry into the Central Baseball League provided mentors for the city's newsboys sponsored a Boy Scout troop at County Children's Home planted a community Victory Garden; facilitated the construction of the Irene Byron Sanitarium for people suffering from tuberculosis; and provided the leadership necessary to route Lincoln Highway through Fort Wayne., More recently, the Club's civic projects have included the creation of the Circle of Hope in Headwaters Park and the Avenue of Trees downtown. Club members participate in the annual "Great American Cleanup" and The Perfect "Gift" blood drive. In keeping with the Clubs commitment to youth and education, Club members established the Cleo Fox Music Scholarship, the High School Speech contest, and the World Affairs Conference, all of which provide avenues for local students to further their education. The Club also sponsors an incoming and outbound exchange student each year. In 2004, the Club adopted Washington Elementary School, providing financial support and mentors for such programs as Rotary Reads, Lunch Buddies, and the Study Connection., Club members participate in the international community by sponsoring the Group Study Exchange program, which sends teams of young professionals abroad for a four-week educational experience. Through Rotary International, the Club supports the Polio Plus effort to eradicate polio worldwide, donates to Shelter box to send emergency relief supplies to survivors of man made and natural disasters, and invests in projects that provide potable water to communities throughout the world., To commemorate the 100 anniversary of its founding, Club members determined to launch a three-pronged Centennial Project that would include a local service project an international service project, and a lasting gift to the City of Fort Wayne., Through the local service project, the club sponsored the installation of 100 Little Free Libraries throughout the Fort Wayne community. The international project funded the building of an eight room school in the village of Glei in Togo, Africa. The lasting gift to the city is the Centennial Tower erected on the plaza of the downtown Allen County Public Library to forever symbolize the Clubs commitment to a vibrant thriving downtown.