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History of Muscogee Rotary
by Jim Irvin
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Page 1
Late February and early March of 1991
were a tumultuous time on the world scene. After a blockade of
Iraq failed to dislodge Iraqi strongman Sadaam Hussein's troops
from Kuwait, the U.S. and its allies waged a massive air strike
followed by a brief but intense ground war against Iraq. The west
Georgia city of Columbus was particularly focused on the events
taking place half way around the world. As was so often the case
when armed conflict arose, the city's Fort Benning had been called
upon to send her troops into battle. The 197th Infantry Brigade
had been part of the now famous left hook assault that
successfully chased Sadaam's troops back to Iraq. A great victory
had been achieved by our local heroes, and the city was poised
for a tremendous welcome home ceremony.
In the midst of this world crisis,
attention at One Rotary Center on Evanston, Illinois, was focused
on Columbus, Georgia, but for a much more peaceful event.... the
birth of a new Rotary Club. For after many months of preparation
and planning a charter was granted on march 5, 1991, to club number
27845 to be known thereafter as the Muscogee Rotary Club.
The genesis of this new club did not
occur in a Rotary vacuum, for Columbus is a city rich in Rotary
history. In fact, the history of the city itself, since shortly
after the turn of the century, is inextricably interwoven with
Rotarians and their work. The Columbus Rotary Club, founded in
1916,, gave life to this group of neophyte Rotarians as it had
three times before in the founding of East Columbus, Fitzgerald,
and Meriwether County Rotary clubs. This club would be different
from the other clubs in one important aspect, however. It would
be a morning club!
What prompted the "Downtown Club",
as it is commonly called, to consider establishing a new club
in its own territory? According to Dan Reed, Executive Secretary
and member of the Columbus club, the city was growing and more
qualified potential Rotarians were taking responsible roles in
businesses throughout the area. It was felt that the time was
right for such an undertaking, so under the direction District
Governor Ralph Thurmond and District Extension Chairman Hal Barton,
a committee was formed within the Columbus club to found the Muscogee
Rotary club. The extension committee consisted of Chairman Gale
Peabody, Dan Reed, Frank Brown, Ken Leuer, Jerry Scott, Frances
Brown, Jack Key, Jr., Michael Herndon and Brown Nicholson, president
of the Columbus Rotary Club. (It is not entirely true that the
real reason for founding the new club was to provide an early
morning make up opportunity for local Rotarians! That fact plus
the addition of Thursday as another local meeting day doubtless
held some appeal to members of the other clubs.)
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