Derby/Shelton Rotary Club

Celebrating 80 Years in 2007!

Anniversary Meeting - May 24, 2007

Many Rotary leaders joined in the celebration!

The Derby/Shelton Rotary Club celebrated its 80th anniversary with a special meeting on May 24, 2007. We had our District Governor, Chip Lewis; Assistant District Governor Don Cipriano; President of the New Haven Club, Carl Ek; Past District Governor Alan Hurst; District Governor elect 2007-08, our own Ernie Luise, and also District Governor elect 2009-10 from the New Haven club Colin Gershon. The meal was good, but the fellowship was better!! We were presented with a letter and a certificate from Rotary International President, William “Bill” Boyd, by Chip, in recognition of our Anniversary.

Everyone received a “Four Way Test” Coffee Mug along with some special birthday cake.

A special feature of the day was some very special recognition for a very unique Rotarian - Hank Gazer. Click here to learn more about his astonishing achievements!

Click here to see photos from the 75th anniversary in 2002.

The Derby-Shelton Rotary Club

On the evening of May 17, 1927, seventeen community and internationally minded citizens of Derby and Shelton assembled at the Hotel Clark and voted to organize and affiliate with Rotary International. The precept and objective of Rotary had its beginning in Chicago in the year 1905 when it was motivated by a young lawyer named Paul P. Harris who wished to enlarge his business acquaintances and utilized the challenge of community needs and later national and international good. This was the forerunner of countless similar services rendered by Rotarians throughout the free world. Our local originators who sat in fellowship that night at the Hotel Clark had been impressed with the ideals of the organization which had previously been expressed to them by Herbert S. Holland, a Rotarian from Baltimore, Maryland, who had recently developed his residency in the community. On that memorable night the following men were elected to office:

The elected officers, with the heritage of Paul Harris and his founders, were the rock from which The Derby-Shelton Club was hewn and the source of our birth that motivated inspiration, challenge, positive and constructive action that has earned Rotary International the respect as the greatest service club throughout the world.

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