Happy 100th Birthday: Rotary Club of Long Beach

100 years ago Granville Savage visited Long Beach and met with seven local men to share his enthusiasm about his Rotary Club in New York.  Together they changed the course of local history by forming the city’s first service club – the Rotary Club of Long Beach.

The club’s 15 charter members caught the vision of creating an organization that would cement friendships, contribute to community and elevate business ethics.  Funeral director and civic leader J.J. Mottell became the club’s 1st president.

Today marks the 100th Anniversary of our charter date - November 1, 1917 as the 334th club globally.  The Rotary Club of Long Beach is today in the top 50 of the 35,000 Rotary Clubs around the world – comprised of Long Beach’s business and community leaders whose motto is “Service Above Self.”

Today a flag is being flown over the U.S. Capitol in honor of our 100th and two weeks from today, November 15, the Rotary International President, Ian Riseley, will be in Long Beach to celebrate with us at the Hyatt Regency from 7-9 p.m.  He will be visiting the site of our Centennial Legacy Project and will experience a demonstration of our Centennial Legacy Gift, Teaching Ethics to Kids, as well as reading to children at the Long Beach Day Nursery.  He also will be presenting Paul Harris Fellow pins and, following an address at our dinner, will be open to questions.

Rotarians are invited to join fellow club members for this evening of fellowship and celebration: Contact Madrid@rotarylongbeach.org.