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The Tulare Rotary Club was chartered in 1921, just 16 years after the first Rotary Club was founded in Chicago, Illinois by Paul Harris. For the first 45 years of its existence, the history of the organization went largely undocumented, save for accounting and attendance records.

In 1967, noted Tulare historian, author, and stalwart Tulare Rotarian, Brooks Gist, tackled the daunting task of recreating the history of his club from its inception until Mr. Gist’s history was published late in 1967; he also penned a short addendum in 1971 to bring the history current as the club celebrated its 50th anniversary.

A quarter century later, Scot Hillman authored an account of the years from 1971 until 1996 in preparation for the Tulare Club’s 80th anniversary. Mr. Hillman has added faithfully to the written legacy of the club, culminating in a publication for the Centennial Celebration in November of 2021, the content of which is now available to read online.

Please enjoy the many memories that have been created through the years of “Service Above Self” here in our hometown, and celebrate with every Tulare Rotarian past and present our one hundred years of fun, fellowship, and fruitful philanthropy.

EST. 1921

INAUGURAL BOARD

W.A. Higgins (President)

Sol Rosenthal (Vice President),

LeBon Abercrombie (Treasurer)

Henry Whaley (Director),

E.J. Ryan (Director)

George Burnett (Director)

Harry Crowe (Director)

CHARTER MEMBERS

Perry Alverson

Henry Charters

John Crowe

W.E. Dunlap

Gordon Harris

William J. Higdon

J.C. Kendrick

On Friday, November 25, 1921 a new club was born at Tulare, California. Twenty of Tulare’s most prominent and professional men gathered at the Woman’s Clubhouse on Tulare Avenue to hear about a new thing called “Rotary” that had been sweeping the nation.

The concept was presented by National Rotary personality, Henry “Bru” Brunnier of San Francisco - Past International Vice President, Past President of the San Francisco Rotary Club, and Past District Governor of the Twenty-third District of California. Brunnier gave a detailed description of the ideals and aims of Rotary and cited numerous examples of the benefits and accomplishments of other clubs.

Probably more impressive to the local neophytes was the fact that a former Tulare boy, Clarence “Sandy” Pratt, came down from San Francisco with “Bru” Brunnier. Pratt was sent as a special representative of Rotary International to assist in establishing the Club. He spoke enthusiastically of his own experiences and attested to the worthwhile and much needed influence of Rotary in any town.

Seeing the potential to positively impact their community, the small group of Tulareans wholeheartedly embraced the concept and formal organization of the Tulare Rotary Club was completed.

1921-1929

PRESIDENTS

1921-1922 W.A. “Al” Higgins

1922-1923 Calvin Russell

1923-1924 Dr. Bob Young

1924-1925 Dr. Elmo Zumwalt

1925-1926 J.T. Crowe

1926-1927 Glenn Moran

1927-1928 Charley Paulden

1928-1929 George Linder

The decade following the foundation of the Tulare Rotary Club was an exciting time. The entire nation was basking in the speculative prosperity that had bloomed after WWI. The club enjoyed the camaraderie and networking that membership provided and stories from these early years indicate that a sense of humor has always been welcome at our meetings.

During that time, inter-city meetings were held periodically and included clubs from Fresno, Bakersfield, and Visalia. At one such meeting in Visalia, Tulare Rotary Club President, Dr. Bob Young, was presiding and the members of the Visalia club set out to take the meeting away.

The question of the universality of Rotary’s appeal having been satisfactorily settled, the next question in order was how large must a city be in order to be eligible. It was at first contended that clubs must be limited to cities of not less than fifty thousand population. Experience soon demonstrated that so drastic a limitation would be unnecessary. By successive stages, it was reduced to twenty-five thousand, ten, five, two; and eventually the conclusion was reached, that it was not so much a question of population as it was a question of the character of the men making application. Since arriving at that conclusion, successful Rotary clubs have been established in towns of one thousand inhabitants and even less.

-Paul Harris, This Rotarian Age

1929-1941

PRESIDENTS

1929-1930 Dr. Frank Kohn

1930-1931 Sol Brainerd

1931-1932 Bill Higdon

1932-1933 Joe Toole

1933-1934 Web Beebe

1934-1935 “Leddy” Ledbetter

1935-1936 Walter Knokey

1936-1937 Clancy Whistler

1937-1938 Dr. Charles Mathias

1938-1939 Ray Silvers

1939-1940 E.B. Campbell

1940-1941 Arthur Schultz

Tulare Rotary Club, June 8, 1934

Dr. Frank Kohn had just started his term as President when the stock market collapsed and the “Great Depression” began. Suddenly business was at a standstill. There was no market for anything - produce sat on the farms without buyers, prices tumbled, families moved in together to cut expenses and houses stood empty. In the stores, clerks walked the empty aisles until they were discharged for lack of something to do.

It was hard to hold the club together when everyone was understandably preoccupied with concern for their businesses and families. The club shrank to just nineteen members. The Secretary quit and the Treasurer wanted to. Even the small cost of meals was considered too much because of the scarcity of cash. So, meals were reduced to twenty-five cents for a sandwich and coffee. Later on, members brought their own sandwiches and only bought coffee. Fines assessed on rare occasions were only a dime.

Programs during this period were lighthearted and simple. Club singing was a definite part of every meeting and there were a few craft talks.

There were also more “Ladies’ Meetings” during this time where members were allowed to bring female guests.

Sol Brainerd had memory of one special meeting held at Merritt Manor, with a potluck dinner on the lawn and around the swimming pool where Rotarians and their ladies swam, dined, and had a rollicking good time.

At another Ladies’ Meeting held at the Masonic Hall, Sol Brainerd was incapacitated from playing tennis. Dr. Frank Kohn presided and after expressing sympathy for Sol’s accident, offered a substitute to be used in place of tennis. It was a ping pong set. Gene Sweet, local pharmacist, also contributed a huge bottle of foul smelling medicine which was prescribed as good “for man or beast.” Sol was overwhelmed by the concern of his fellow Rotarians.

Were it not for the diligence of the Depression Era Presidents - Dr. Frank Kohn, Sol Brainerd, Bill Higdon, Joe Toole, and Web Beebe - the Tulare Rotary Club might have folded like every other service club in town.

When “Leddy” Ledbetter became President in 1934, economic conditions were improving, but there was still no money in the treasury. The International Convention was held in Mexico City, but the cost to get there was $750.00. That was too much money for the club or the President to raise, so no one was able to attend.

Charlie Mathias became President in 1937 and was able to attend the District Convention in San Francisco. One project started that year was an essay contest at Tulare High School for the best commentary on “What Rotary Means.”

Having survived the lean years of the Depression, Rotary was growing again. During Charlie Mathias’ term, work was started on the addition of a club in Corcoran. Interest in this venture continued through the presidency of Ray Silvers (1938-39) and into E.B. Campbell’s regime (1939-40) when it finally became a reality.

On May 20, 1940, the Corcoran Rotary Club was established. A good number of Tulare Rotary Club members went to Corcoran for the inaugural ceremony. Future Tulare Rotary president, John Callister, was appointed by the District Governor as special representative to assist in the installation of officers.

1941-1951

PRESIDENTS

1941-1942 Marvin Fulton

1942-1943 John Callister

1943-1944 Cap Wiseman

1944-1945 George Moran

1945-1946 Cecil Wolfe-Jones

1946-1947 Walter Frank

1947-1948 Floyd Cave

1948-1949 Stanley Smith

1949-1950 Shreve Montag

1950-1951 Lloyd Flowers

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Marvin Fulton was made President in 1941 when even the air was charged and tense with threats expressed or implied. Dr. Bob Young, who had done so much to keep the club together during the first year of the Depression, had been ill for several months, breaking his twenty-year record of perfect attendance. In December of 1941, in a profound show of respect and support, a direct telephone line to his bedside was arranged by the club, so he could still enjoy a meeting. All the Past Presidents came to the telephone and greeted him personally.

In 1942, six months after war was declared, John Callister started his term as President. He attended the International Convention in Toronto, Canada and sent back a telegram that said, “Quit griping. If you think you have it rough there, it is much rougher here.” At that time, Canadians were facing 58 percent income tax but weren’t able to get refills on tea or coffee at the same meal or gas on Saturdays or Sundays.

Next in line for the presidency was Cap Wiseman. He attended the 1943 convention in St. Louis, Missouri where Carlos P. Romulo was the guest speaker and shared his knowledge of war conditions in the Philippines. Cap’s train was snowbound for eight hours in Idaho on his way back to California.

During the latter part of Cap’s term, Lucy Lee, our pianist for several years, quit unexpectedly. While pursuing the cause of her abrupt departure, Club officials found out that she had not been paid for several months. Further investigation uncovered that there was no money available. An audit was made that showed mismanagement of Rotary funds.

George Moran inherited these financial problems when he took over in 1944. Don Abercrombie was made Secretary and a new system of banking and checking was instituted. All funds were deposited in a bank and two names were required on every check before it could be cashed.

During George’s year, Ladies’ Night was almost thwarted by the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt the day of the event. There was much discussion as to the propriety of proceeding with the event, but plans had been made and there seemed to be more problems associated with canceling, so Ladies’ Night was held as scheduled.

Cecil Wolfe-Jones became President in 1945. Joe Sears of Santa Barbara was District Governor and the District Convention was held in Fresno. At the convention, a very controversial question was raised. Several Rotarians wanted the Rotary International Headquarters to move from Chicago to Denver. A vote was taken and the results favored leaving it in Chicago.

Up until Lloyd Flowers took office in 1950, fines had never exceeded one dollar. However, increased prosperity had allowed for the frequency of fines to increase. When Lloyd returned from the District Convention in Detroit, he increased the size of the fines and instituted the practice of fining members for missed meetings. These practices continued and kept the budgets balanced through the late 1940s.

During Lloyd’s year, several tape recordings were made of meetings and presented to shut-in members. Past President, George Linder, was ill for a number of weeks and benefitted from this practice.

A program called “The American Way” was also started. Rotarians gave talks to high school students on the American Way of Life, each man sharing his perspectives and experiences. The club provided books, pamphlets and literature, conducted panel discussions, and an essay contest in the Senior Problems classes on the topic.

1951-1961

PRESIDENTS

1951-1952 Paul Yager

1952-1953 Dr. Oscar Finch

1953-1954 Neil Huffsmith

1954-1955 Bill Farrer

1955-1956 Louie Sweet

1956-1957 Dr. Tom Drilling

1957-1958 Keith Munger

1958-1959 Maurice Green

1959-1960 Harold Ely

1960-1961 Harold Jarvis

In 1951, Paul Yager became President of the club. The District Convention was held in Santa Barbara where Paul and Bill Schultz gave talks on the “The American Way” program. Recommendations were made that all Rotary Clubs become more active with the young people of their communities.

The Tulare Rotary Club celebrated its 30th Anniversary with a special meeting at Tagus Ranch where Charter members Bill Dunlap, Dr. Bob Young, and George Linder were honored.

In 1952, the International Convention was once again held in Mexico City. This time, the club could afford to send the current President, Oscar Finch. Oscar wanted to increase attendance at meetings and found a creative way to do it. He brought in a little pig as a pawn. Anyone who missed two meetings had to keep the pig until another member missed. Attendance immediately improved, but poor Joe Allen got stuck with the pig so long he was worried he’d never get rid of it.

Neil Huffsmith took over in 1953 and attended the District Convention in Bakersfield. During his year, Rotary sent two boys to Hi-Y Summer Camp. The club furnished odd jobs that allowed fifteen more boys to earn enough to attend the camp as well.

For the first time, Rotarians with sons or daughters were invited to bring them to a designated club meeting. As well, Ladies’ Night was a grand success that year, thanks to entertainment provided by Hilo Hattie and her troupe.

Louie Sweet began his presidency in 1955. The District Convention was held in Stockton. This year saw the creation of a $200 Rotary Club Scholarship that was given to a graduating high school Senior. As well, a boat was purchased for the YMCA Summer Camp and the club sponsored a Little League baseball team.

During Tom Drilling’s term, Rotary moved their meeting place from the old Tulare Hotel to the Tulare Veteran’s Memorial Building in order to gain some much-needed elbow room. There were immediate objections from those who had been within walking distance of the Hotel. However, members soon found the drive to be a welcome change - there was plenty of parking at the Tulare Veteran’s Memorial Building and on a clear day one could catch an inspiring view of the countryside or the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Among Rotary activities was the making of the Membership Roster. Also, longtime Club Secretary, Don Abercrombie, died that year and Joe Allen was appointed to succeed him.

In 1957, new President Keith Munger, began the process necessary to allow the club to sponsor an exchange student. Although this did not come to fruition before he left office, it was the beginning of an important Rotary program that exists to this day.

Maurice Green attended the District Convention in Dallas, Texas, and like Oscar Finch stressed attendance during his term. He presided over seven meetings with 100 percent attendance before laying down the gavel in 1959.

Many new things happened during Green’s year - tie pins were given to visitors, an Employer/Employee dinner was held and a new constitution was adopted by Rotary, the first change since 1922.

Harold Ely took over in 1959 and served as Sergeant-at-Arms for the District Convention in New York. The Rotary Foundation Student Fund charge of $10.00 per member was revived and brought up to date. At that time, the fund was six years and several members were in arrears.

As well, the club had the responsibility of hosting the District Assembly and did an extremely credible job. The entire membership worked together to help make it a success.

Harold Jarvis became President in 1960 and attended the District Conference in Miami, Florida. This was the year the club finally received the first of many exchange students, Linden Hopper from Australia. This was a very gratifying experience for all involved and got the club interested in sending a local student to Australia.

Due to special gifts from several members, the total among in the Rotary Student Loan Fund reached the sum of $3500.

President Jarvis had a memorable demotion ceremony. A revolution fomented by George Moran that had smoldered for several weeks, broke out in an open revolt, complete with guns, costumes, and whiskers. The meeting was taken away from President Hal, successfully shattering his aplomb. District Governor Laurence Williams attended the meeting and assisted in putting up the signs declaring the revolt.

1961-1971

PRESIDENTS

1961-1962 Wiley Zink

1962-1963 Jack Berryhill

1963-1964 Harvey Lauritzen

1964-1965 Warren Petersen

1965-1966 Wallace Hastings

1966-1966 Dr. Paul Henry

1967-1968 C. Hugh Ross

1968-1969 Frank Lagomarsino

1969-1970 Clem V. Lincicum

1970-1971 Neven Burrell

Wiley Zink started his term in July of 1961, the Tulare Rotary Club’s fortieth year. To properly commemorate the occasion, the first Club Historian, Brooks Gist, was appointed to document the impressions and events gleaned from the records and the memories of living members. Also, Charles Weaver was appointed to replace Joe Allen, who resigned from his job as Club Secretary.

Kay Glass, daughter of Rotarian Willard Glass, was sent to Australia as the first outbound exchange student. She did such a good job representing the club and was so charming the Aussies didn’t want to let her go. In fact, three years later, Kay married the son of a Rotarian who took her back to live in Australia.

Jack Berryhill became President in July of 1962. That year the District Conference was held in Hanford and the Rotary International Convention in Los Angeles.

Plans for a town swimming pool had reached a point where the club could take an active part in its’ promotion. Neven Burrell was appointed to head a committee to follow through with support for the pool project.

Ladies’ Night was held at the Hacienda in Fresno. Three busloads of Rotarians and their wives made the trip to enjoy a fine dinner and a show.

Harvey Lauritzen was President during the 1963-64 term. Harvey was busy as a bird-dog farmer, tending to business and presiding over meetings. He also had quite a travel schedule - dashing from the District Assembly in San Luis Obispo in May to the District Conference in Santa Barbara in November to the Rotary International Conference in St. Louis the following June.

Harold Olsen of Delano was District Governor that year.

Through the efforts of Harvey and Committee Chairman, Paul Henry, a Rotary Bookshelf was started at the Tulare Public Library. Birthday fines were used to buy books that were not readily available through the regular channels. On his birthday, each Rotarian would sign a slip which said, “A gift to the Tulare Public Library Young Adult Collection from (Rotarian’s Name) of the Rotary Club of Tulare on his birthday.” The library was very enthusiastic about the venture and the books on the Rotary Bookshelf were always in high demand.

Another project of note was the commitment of $750 for a sprinkler pad at Si Tyler Park, 140 North E Street. The project consisted of a cement slab with sprinklers where youngsters could play in the water without the danger of drowning.

Ladies’ Night was held at the Town and Country Club in Tulare.

Warren Peterson took the reins in July of 1963. One major change during this year was that the club was incorporated.

One of the outstanding accomplishments of the year was the building of a huge fireplace in the

main building at the Science and Conservation Camp in the hills north of Springville. A club meeting was held at the Camp and most of the members made the trip to see the work and tour the facility.

A special Ladies’ Night was held at the Imperial Dynasty restaurant in Hanford. The dinner was delicious and the event well-planned with all the trimmings that helped make the “Rotary Annes” feel like they had been “taken out.”

Wallace Hastings was selected to be President in 1965 when the International Convention was held in Atlantic City.

Being a minister and having had problems raising money in his congregations, Wallace really enjoyed pointing to or calling out Rotarians’ names and setting the amount of their fine. He decided that this had great advantages. During his year the club tripled its contribution to the Rotary Foundation.

As well, the club roster reached 100 members for the very first time.

Sam Cochran was the outbound exchange student with the Inverell Club in Australia and Ronnaug Hilde from Norway came to Tulare.

In July of 1966, after returning from the International Convention in Denver, Colorado, Paul Henry became President.

Paul had been sponsored by Rotarian George Bulian and by coincidence, George Bulian also attended the Denver Convention as President of the Rotary Club from Saratoga, California.

The District Conference was held in Bakersfield. A bus trip was planned and about sixty members attended the noon meeting and program where our club won awards for the “Best Attendance” and “District Vocational Service”.

The by-laws of the Tulare Club were changed to include the Immediate Past President as a member of the Board of Directors. As well, the by-laws of the Student Loan Fund were amended to include grants to be used for exchange students. This enabled members who donated to the Student Loan Fund to choose which way their funds would be utilized.

One interesting effect of the International youth exchange program was the development of a relationship with Inverell, Australia. Having had many pleasant Rotary exchanges with the Tulare Rotary Club, Inverell became a sister city to the City of Tulare.

The Interact Club program was developed as a result of a group investigation requested by Rotary International in 1961 “to investigate the various youth activities sponsored by Rotary Clubs with a view to developing a specific program of organized youth activity which may be recommended to Rotary Clubs world-wide.” The first Interact Club was chartered in Melbourne, Florida, USA in November of 1962.

On May 11, 1967, the Tulare Rotary Club officially chartered the Tulare Western High School Interact Club, the first in District 524. Interact Committee members - Don Evans, Wallace Hastings, Roscoe Chitwood, Durward Douglas, and District Governor Jim Huber of Bakersfield - helped with the TWHS Interact Club charter. The l00-strong “Sing Out Bakersfield” choral group presented a well-received program for the ceremony.

Paul Henry’s term saw the origination of the Inter-Club Golf Tournament, led by Oscar Finch and Tom Drilling. The event was a great success and drew a capacity crowd.

Hugh Ross became president in 1967 and hosted District Governor, Hugh Jantzen, who visited the club in October of that year. Hugh was paid the customary $10 for presiding over a meeting with 100 percent attendance on January 19, 1968.

That February, club members took an active part in the first California Farm Equipment Show held at the Tulare Fairgrounds. This was the beginning of what is now known as the World Ag Expo which draws more than 100,000 visitors each year. Many Rotarians still participate in the event as volunteers or vendors.

Among the club’s contributions for the year: the underwriting of John Woods of Australia to attend College of the Sequoias; a $50.00 donation toward scholarships in LaSierra Creative Arts for worthy students; and purchase of $234.00 worth of pamphlets, “The Cautious Twins,” for distribution to the schools. Restrooms at the Little League baseball park were built at a cost of $1,148.00. $300.00 and was spent on restrooms for the Astronomical Society.

July 1968, Frank Lagomarsino took over the presidential reins. Frank had heard about inflation and fined the members judicially and increased the amount of fines. That year might well be labeled as the “Year of the Italian Jokes”. Some were resurrected, some reconstructed, some ingeniously dreamed up and adjusted to fit. Everyone seemed to have one that was hilariously funny, but if they were too corny president Frank would lower the boom and slap on a good-sized fine.

The club participated in the Hands-Across-the-Sea program furnishing medical supplies to several countries. A foreign exchange student, Norica Shibata, from Japan, was sponsored by the club. She became a house guest of the Dana Slaughter family.

Two local girls: Carmela, daughter of Rotarian Frank Lagomarsino, and Martha, daughter of Rotarian Paul Jones, Jr. went to Japan on the Student International Exchange program. They were hosted by the family of Norica Shibata.

In 1969, Clem Lincicum became president of the club. The International Rotary Convention was held in Hawaii. Clem attended and came back full of enthusiasm. Plans were laid for getting an Israeli student to come to Tulare on the Exchange Program, but this never worked out.

Rotary was active in a number of local projects. $200.00 was spent sponsoring a Little League baseball team. The Direct Relief Foundation was given money for medical supplies for developing countries. Funds were provided for transportation of an American Field Service student back to Tulare from Europe. The needy children of Vietnam were sent $200.00 and a contribution was made to the Allensworth Historical Project. These are a few of the projects undertaken that year.

Neven Burrell became president in July 1970 and ruled with an iron hand. His only weakness was his flair for loud neckties, most of them were creations of his wife, Lois.

The new additions to the Rotary Bookshelf were requested to be principally historically western in theme. A new stereo-audio sound system was purchased for the Blackstone Neighborhood Recreation Center and there was a generous donation to the American Field Service. The Crippled Children’s Summer Camp Fund was given $250.00 and the Rotary Student Loan Fund was increased by $1,000.00.

1971-1981

PRESIDENTS

1971-1972 Dale W. Hillman

1972-1973 W.D. “Bill” Luton

1973-1974 John Sturgeon

1974-1975 C.H. “Hoot” Perry

1975-1976 Don Evans

1976-1977 Merle Stone

1977-1978 Glen C. Lewis

1978-1979 David L. Zack

1979-1980 Richard M. Worley

1980-1981 Paul Jones, Jr.

It just so happens that the man who presided over the 50th year of our Club’s existence was Dale W. Hillman, whose youthful smile in the program distributed at the 1971 celebration of half a century of Tulare Rotary, belies the presence of three teenagers and an eleven-year-old that he had to go home to. Dale presided over an extremely active club of 90 members, five of which are still with us as we celebrate our 100th year.

His Rotary year was a lean-running mixture of high jinx and well-attended events, with surprises at every turn. An example of one of these surprises can be found at the end of the Brooks Gist history:

Ladies Day meeting on October 1st was novel in its own right when the meeting was taken over from President Dale by a group of “Women’s Lib.” Rotary got a taste of a woman president as Dale’s wife, Pat, with Mimi Hoffman, Jean Watson, Eleanor Heiskell, and Clarabel Lagomarsino invaded the meeting with drums, bugle, cymbals, placards, and all to demote Dale from his high position. Rotary-like the ladies levied fines through every pretext imaginable creating a hilarious occasion everyone enjoyed.

What Mr. Gist did not mention was that the ‘Women’s Lib activists” were operating on an agenda carefully choreographed by Dale himself!

It was that type of advance planning which brought to Dale Hillman’s Rotary meetings an element of anticipation among the membership that their Friday noon gathering would be more than just lunch and a speaker.

Meetings during 1971-1972 were held at the Tulare Veteran’s Memorial Building. The District Governor was Visalian Larry Lyles, and the International Convention was held in Sydney, Australia, where Dale and his wife made new Rotary friends that were close to the rest of their lives. The 1972 District Conference was at Del Monte in Monterey, California.

Dale handed the gavel to W.D. “Bill” Luton for the 1972-1973 Rotary year. Bill was responsible for overseeing a landmark student exchange program between the Tulare Club and a club in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, a program devised and developed during his predecessor’s regime but executed to perfection by Bill Luton and his Board. Under the program, about 20 youth from Tulare spent a week with Rotary families in Canada and brought back to Rotary homes in Tulare the next week an equal number of Canadian students. A huge success, the exchange program was repeated the following year as well.

Bill was also the year the club changed its meeting venue from the Tulare Veteran’s Memorial Building to the newly-constructed Elks Lodge building on the comer of ‘M’ and Merritt streets in Tulare.

Bill Luton was followed to the podium by John B. Sturgeon, a local insurance agent and a standout athlete during his high school and college days. John would eventually become the first Tulare Rotary father to have his offspring become a Club President when son Randy Sturgeon took charge in 1982-1983. John Sturgeon recalls that his fines budget for the 1973-1974 year was “about $50.00 per man, tops. There might have been a couple guys give a hundred. We collected a little missed-meeting money at $5 a miss, but we figured that was gravy.”

John remembers having an exchange student “from Europe” during his year, and that the Tulare Western High School Interact Club was “really active”, doing many fund-raisers

along side its sponsor club.

John celebrated the dose of his year with a bus trip to a big dinner in Bakersfield for Club Members and their spouses. Prior to his year, he attended the 1973 International Convention in Lausanne, Switzerland, and was present at the 1974 District Conference in San Luis Obispo.

The Rotary Club of Tulare was led through the 1974-1975 year by local restaurateur C. H. “Hoot” Perry.

Don Evans took the gavel from Hoot Perry and guided the club through a very successful 1975-1976 year. His CPA practice no doubt helped Don, fresh from the International Convention in 1975 in Montreal, Canada, hammer out a well- constructed and effective budget that stood the club in great stead for years to come.

One of Don’s favorite recollections of his year was the “contest” that Tulare Rotary had with the Visalia Rotary Club (now the Downtown Visalia Club) to see how many babies each club could produce during the Rotary year. It was a close affair, the neighbor club winning three children to two--with former member Pete Houck providing one of the Tulare Club’s two “entries”.

Don closed his year with a Ladies Night trip to Maison Jussaud’s Basque restaurant in Bakersfield, and a late spring visit to San Luis Obispo for the District Conference.

Longtime Tularean Merle Stone, owner of the local Chevrolet dealership, was president of the club starting in the summer of 1976. Merle was an excellent public speaker blessed that with a natural talent for humor, and his year was greatly enjoyed by all club members. Merle Stone was lost in a private plane accident in Northern California in 1991.

Educator Glen C. Lewis was the club’s leader through a fondly-remembered 1977-1978 year. Glen recalls fining the club “quite heavily” to fund President-elect Dave Zack’s attendance at the 1978 International Convention in Tokyo, Japan. (Glen’s own International Convention a year earlier had been scheduled for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but due to political unrest was moved to San Francisco!)

He began a couple of new programs - one which provided Rotary window decals to members as a subtle form of advertisement, and the other which utilized the substantial interest generated by the Club’s Student Loan Fund to create and offer year-end scholarships to high school students.

Glen also closed his year with a Member/Spouse social event, this one an Armenian dinner with “all the trimmings”. During Glen’s year, a remarkable seven new members were added to the Club Roster, two of which are still active today.

Civil Engineer David L. Zack was next to the fore, guiding Tulare Rotary through the 1978-1979 cycle. Today he recalls the club as “fortunate to survive” his year of presidency, but in fact, his steady leadership created an organization of substantially more financial security than was left to the successors of some of our more mercurial Podium Pounders.

Zack did indeed attend the Tokyo Convention, and recalls the huge clamor generated among the 20,000 attendees there when the Duarte, California Rotary Club had its charter revoked for admitting women into its membership!

Richard M. Worley took the presidency after Dave Zack, pushing the club to new heights - and into its seventh decade - during his year of service (1979-1980). He became deeply involved with Rotary’s Camp Royal youth leadership camp and committed the necessary resources from the Tulare Club to send four students (2 male, 2 female) to the Sequoia Lake-based camp from each of Tulare’s two high schools. To this day, the Tulare Club affords the same wonderful opportunity to eight students, which compares very favorably with the two students sponsored by most clubs in this District.

Worley went on to serve many years on the steering committee for Camp Royal. He also wound down his year, as Dale Hillman had, with a big Hawaiian Luau celebration at the Hillman home.

Rich Worley was succeeded by Paul Jones, Jr., head of the Fertilizer and Pesticides Division of J.D. Heiskell & Co. in Tulare. Paul was a very competent officer but was prone to the occasional verbal blunder, and the club had at least as much fun reminding him of his missteps at the podium as he did separating them from their hard-earned money in the name of Rotary.

During Paul’s year as president (1980-1981), the club continued its traditional support of local charities and well-attended social events.

Paul Jones, Jr. passed away in the spring of 1989.

1981-1991

PRESIDENTS

1981-1982 Edward C. Burckhardt

1982-1983 Randall J. Sturgeon

1983-1984 John lacona

1984-1985 Don Owens

1985-1986 Charles Fisher

1986-1987 Kenneth F. Lange

1987-1988 Kevin Green

1988-1989 David Swall

1989-1990 Larry Peterson

1990-1991 Doug Barnes

Edward C. Burckhardt, a wise-cracking, cynical attorney became Rotary President for the

1981-1982 year, continuing the Club’s tradition of fund-raising excellence and well-run, informative meetings spiced up with the occasional dose of anarchy.

Burckhardt relinquished control of the Club to Randall J. Sturgeon, who became the first son to follow his father to the top spot in the Rotary Club of Tulare. Fresh from the 1982 International Convention in Dallas, Texas, Randy Sturgeon upped the ante at the weekly meetings, once again bringing fun to the fore on Friday afternoons. Sturgeon’s weekly exercises in barely-controlled pandemonium were legendary, and his ability to “roast” his fine victims with a mesmerizing flair earned him a long-standing position with subsequent Demotion Committees (usually with “sidekick” Don Owens). At the time, he was also among Tulare’s most eligible bachelors, and took his share of abuse from the other side of the microphone for alleged late-night “prowling”.

The 1983 District Conference held in Fresno during the last months of Randy’s term was the first for our club in its “new” District - we changed from District 524 to District 523 at the beginning of the 1982-1983 Rotary Year.

The 1983 International Convention in Toronto, Canada was a fond memory for builder John Iacono, who was next up to the club’s presidency in 1983.

John Iacono is remembered for his infamous Joke Book. He acquired a book of jokes and riddles early in his year and would share several of them at every meeting, often inserting names of Club Members who “fit the joke” and, of course, fining those Members accordingly. In that manner, the spirit of Rotary fun was woven deeper still into the fabric of the Tulare Club’s history.

Illness prevented John Iacono from representing the club at the District 523 Convention in Salinas, held in April 1984. In fact, President-elect Don Owens stepped in to finish the last four months of Iacono’s term, thereby passing on the opportunity to visit Birmingham, England in June for the 1984 International Convention.

Owens, who proved to be a highly entertaining and effective Rotary leader during his 1984-1985 tenure, still has quite a collection of memorabilia from that period, including several issues of the Club Bulletin (the Tulare Trumpet) written and compiled by legendary Editor John Raymond, Jr., who held that position for a number of productive, entertaining years. Raymond, a retired Episcopalian priest, was an accomplished, stylish writer who filled the bulletin with humor, wit, insight, Rotary news, and the occasional original poem.

Under Don Owens, the club continued its upward swing in membership recruitment and endeared itself to a number of local charities with its trademark timely support - including the donation of a movie projector and screen to Merritt Manor Convalescent Hospital. Owens went beyond the usual, creating opportunities for fellowship throughout his year. He declared August 3, 1984 “Friendship Day”, put together a Rotary Family Outing at a Fresno State football game in October, and involved a record number of Club Members in the April 12-15 District Conference conveniently located at the Visalia Holiday Inn.

Don Owens’ year also found the club hosting an Inbound Rotary Youth Exchange Student from France as well as District Governor Peter Penner, a Reedley clergyman, for his annual visit on August 17, 1984. He also raised the club’s yearend high school scholarships from $250 to $500 each.

In many subsequent years, Don Owens and Randy Sturgeon found a similarity in their presentation styles that clicked, and they became, as noted before, the duo of choice for Demotions, New Member Initiation ceremonies, special presentations, and general entertainment during meetings.

After 16 months at the wheel, Don Owens passed the torch to farmer Charles Fisher, a fun-loving, hearty individual who picked up where Owens left off, making the 1985-1986 Rotary year yet another period of note in Tulare’s Rotary history.

Kenneth F. Lange, owner of a large plumbing supply business, followed Charlie Fisher to the front of the club on Friday afternoons. A savvy businessman, he devised several ways to fill the Club’s coffers without exacting a heavy toll on its membership. He revived a long-dormant weekly raffle, renamed it The Great Giveaway, and took in over $1,200 with it during his 1986-1987 year. He also took the newly renovated Rotary Auction (which he had re-instated during his tenure on the Board of Directors and had chaired through a very successful first year) to new heights, pulling in $2,000 or so during the event.

Because of his success in raising funds from other sources, Ken was able to utilize a light-hearted and light-handed approach to the weekly fine session, which was certainly appreciated by the Members! Ken’s year contained a milestone of sorts with the departure of John Seavers from his post as the Club’s Secretary/Treasurer, a position he’d held for over twenty years. Club Member George McGuire was appointed to fill John’s huge empty shoes in the role, but the club certainly missed the impeccable organizational talents of “Ol’ Johnny”.

Ken Lange was also an accomplished musician who eventually began and directed a Rotary Choir that in recent years has performed at the annual Christmas Program, always accompanied by Ken’s wife, Virginia, on piano.

The 1986 International Convention, which Ken attended, was held in Las Vegas, with singer Tony Bennett entertaining the conventioneers.

When Kevin Green began his term as Club President in 1987, he represented the second son of a former President to wield the gavel; his father Maurice “Red” Green was Top Rotarian in 1958-1959.

A youthful, likeable, and quick-witted leader, Kevin Green provided another excellent year of “grease” for the Rotary Wheel, setting many new standards for income from our traditional fund-raising events.

Kevin was able to get the most out of his Rotary travel opportunities, also; he attended the 1987 International Convention in Munich, Germany, and added a three-day swing “to the beach” in Nice, France onto his return trip!

David Swall, a lifelong area farmer and at the time a twenty-seven-year member of the club, assumed command of Tulare Rotary for the 1988-1989 year. A quiet, Farmer’s Almanac-wielding fellow with an easy smile whose “Thought For The Day” closed each of his meetings (normally amid groans from those assembled), Dave Swall began the tradition of donating the birthday and anniversary fines collected to the Tulare Public Library, where they purchased books which were inscribed with a Rotary label and placed on the shelves. He also took the yearly noon Auction a notch higher still, netting $5,000 (future Rotary President Paul Daley was Chairman for that event!).

Dave Safina received his Paul Harris Fellowship during Swall’s term, bringing the number of active Harris Fellows in the Tulare Rotary Club to 19. Dave also had the honor of presenting John Raymond with a District Citation for his 23 years as Editor of the Club Bulletin upon John’s retirement from that post.

Tulare Emergency Aid, the Tulare Community Rescue Mission, Diabetes Camp, YMCA, the Tulare County Symphony, the Tulare Astronomy Association, and Tulare Little League were among the many worthy recipients of funds raised during Dave Swall’s year.

Dave’s International Convention was held in Philadelphia, and his District Conference (honoring then-District Governor Bill Sell) was located in San Luis Obispo.

David Swall died in his sleep on September 15, 1995, and is greatly missed by his family, friends, and fellow Rotarians.

Larry Peterson, Director of Goble Miller Chapel in Tulare, took the reins of the club from David Swall for the 1989-1990 year. An immensely capable president with an actor’s gift for comic timing and a commanding podium presence, Larry endured countless instances of abuse due to the nature of his profession and operated under the RI leadership slogan “Enjoy Rotary!” during his year as president. And enjoy we did.

Among his many notable contributions were an inter-club golf tournament which brought together members of the local Kiwanis and Lions clubs for a day at Tulare Golf Course with the Rotarians, and the first of our now-traditional

service at the Tulare Farm Equipment Show as “People Mover” pilots.

Larry traveled halfway around the globe to Seoul, South Korea for the 1989 International Convention prior to his year.

Architect Doug Barnes took his turn in the Hot Seat following Larry’s presidency and contributed a banner year of his own. Under Doug’s careful direction, the Friday programs took on a new, challenging, thought-provoking role in the club, as several controversial issues were brought to the Tulare Club and presented to the membership. Doug also took several controversial positions of his own, one being the removal of the mandatory $10.00 fine for missed meetings not made up. Although the missed meetings rule was later re-instated, attendance at Doug’s meetings did not suffer as a result of his decision, and the many members who traditionally have difficulty making 100% of the Friday get-togethers were grateful for the year of relief!

Barnes also spiced up his meetings with the occasional well-timed surprise, including raffling off a mountain bike during one of the normal lunchtime raffles.

Doug attended the 1990 International Convention just up the coast in Portland, Oregon, and celebrated his District Conference in Reno, Nevada.

A colorful individualist who was never afraid to stick his neck out, Doug Barnes suffered through what was certainly one of the liveliest Demotion ceremonies in club history.

1991-2001

PRESIDENTS

1991-1992 Will Tiesiera

1992-1993 John Thomas

1993-1994 Doug Canby

1994-1995 Brian Tayler

1995-1996 Scott Hillman

1996-1997 Paul Daley

1997-1998 Jim Bowser

1998-1999 Melody Tucker

1999-2000 Jim Pallas

2000-2001 Carol Rinn-Elkin

Following Doug Barnes’ tough act was Will Tiesiera, a former major league catcher and the owner of Tulare’s Ford-Mercury dealership. Will’s organizational talents (on full display during the 1991-1992 year) truly reformed the Tulare Rotary Club, and several of the traditions begun during his year were still being enjoyed half a decade later.

Notable among them were the moving of the yearly auction from its noon meeting time slot to an evening in the spring, where it was teamed with an all-you-can-eat Crab Feed to draw bidders from the community at large. An overwhelming success right from the gate, the Rotary Crab Feed & Auction eclipsed the $5,700 income record set during Larry Peterson’s year by over $2,000.

“Will the Thrill” also hosted the First Annual Mystery Trip, in which members boarded a bus to an unknown destination, having paid a fare to an event they know nothing about. In this particular case, the destination was the recently-completed Tenaya Lodge in Yosemite, where surprised and thrilled attendees were treated to a four-star dinner, live piano music, a gift for each spouse, and a free gift raffle after dessert.

It was during Will’s year that Scot Hillman began the tradition of creating a podium sign and an identity for the president, an annual highlight of the demotion/promotion proceedings.

A committed and caring president, Will Tiesiera, who went to Mexico City for the 1991 International Convention, redefined the scope of the Rotary Presidency and set a high water mark for subsequent presidents to contemplate.

The most immediately subsequent of those was banker John Thomas or “J.T.”, who survived a last-minute notification (May 26th, 1992) of his impending duties when President-elect Leroy Trippel was reassigned to a neighboring community by his employer, leaving the Rotary Presidency to Thomas.

On little notice, and without the benefit of attending Rotary’s President-elect Training Seminar (P.E.T.S.), ‘’J.T.’’ jetted to Orlando, Florida for the 1992 International Convention and returned to carve out a highly successful niche of his own in Tulare Rotary history.

Perhaps the quickest wit ever to belly up to the backside of the venerable Tulare Rotary podium, “J.T.” was respected - maybe even feared - for his devastating returns of any incendiary prose volleyed his way during the fine sessions. “King John I”, as his podium sign referred to him, ruled, and fined, with an iron hand, and his banker’s eye for a good P&L bottom line created one of the most successful financial years in recent Tulare Rotary history. He also began the tradition of the Immediate Past President taking the job of Bulletin Editor for a year when he took the job from another talented minister, Jim Bowser, who had performed the task since John Raymond’s retirement three years before.

“King John I” abdicated his throne - and his “Reign of Terror” - to Doug Canby, who immediately upped the ante on everything the Rotary Club of Tulare had ever accomplished or tried to accomplish. During Doug’s year of service (1993-1994) everything was on turbo-drive. No one in the twenty years before Doug had put as much of himself into the presidency of the Tulare Club.

Fines hit new record amounts (although Doug softened the blows somewhat by being the first to offer a “premium” for fines of $100 and up--in this case a white Rotary hat, which led to his nickname “White Hat” Canby), new Interact Clubs were begun at Tulare Union and Tulare Western high schools, a short-lived but effective Rotaract Club was chartered at the College of the Sequoias, the Mystery Trip was revived (a bus excursion to the stage play “1776” presented by Roger Rocka’s theater in Fresno), and the Crab Feed & Auction raised almost $13,000, a new record.

Live turkeys showed up at meetings, Members were “set up” for fines with careful planning, off-site meetings provided a welcome change of venue, and many local charities were supported by the huge income stream created by Doug Canby.

Doug, whose slogan for the year was “No Worse Than Will [Tiesiera]” actually out-Willed Will by sheer force of will, and the Rotary Club of Tulare was the better for it. Doug’s International Convention was held in Sydney, Australia, and his District Conference in Monterey.

Next up behind “White Hat Canby” was the fourth dentist in the history of Tulare Rotary Presidents, Tulare tooth doc Brian Taylor. Although an injury forced Dr. Taylor to miss the 1994 International Convention in Taiwan, and a second injury caused him to spend a good portion of his Rotary Presidency in a full leg cast, Brian Taylor took the controls of the cruise missile created by Doug Canby and guided it further into the stratosphere. Income from fines during Taylor’s year topped out at over $15,000 and he gave much of that record amount away to a record number of local charities.

Good-natured and often the victim of his own misidentification of visitors and members, Brian also received one of the heartiest send-offs ever afforded a President on Demotion Day.

Fresh from his trip to Nice, France for the 1995 Rotary International Convention, Scot Hillmanbecame the third son of a former Club President to take the wheel of the Tulare Club. Although he may be remembered (if at all) for reversing the traditional positions of the Invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance in the weekly meeting agenda to rightfully put God before Country; he also introduced a Fall Fundraiser, a Casino Night, which raised $5,000 for the Tulare Little League’s Park renovation.

His Mystery Trip took 48 happy Rotary adventurers to the esteemed Imperial Dynasty in Hanford for a five-star, six-course meal, and his take at the Crab Feed & Auction totalled $9,000. He closed his Rotary year with an evening luau held at his folks’ estate (as his father had done 25 years earlier) and hosted a “Four Club” golf tournament, involving the three Visalia Rotary Clubs along with the Tulare Club in a golf game in which contestants were allowed only four clubs each.

Hillman’s District Conference was held at the Hyatt on Lake Tahoe’s North Shore, and honored District Governor Raymond Gomez of Woodlake. Inbound Rotary Youth Exchange Student Hanna Sormunen of Finland was a frequent visitor to his rollicking meetings, and President-elect Paul Daley conducted a wonderfully successful membership drive during the year, bringing the club from 78 to 86 members - despite the loss of seven members!

Known to his constituency as “Chief Standing Bull”—a nod to his career in dairy feed manufacturing—Scot enjoyed a “Scot roast” on his final Friday that was not-so-affectionately termed “De-Moo-tion”.

Paul Daley’s performance as the membership chair during 1995-1996 was an indication of the heights to which he’d take his club during the 1996-1997 year. Upon returning from the International Convention at Calgary Canada, Paul began working with one of the most organized District Governors in recent memory (Mary Margaret Fleming of Carmel) to stage a Rotary Foundation Gala in Fresno which raised over $150,000 for the Foundation. Paul then reprised the Casino Night fund-raiser, and supervised the refurbishing and donation of a used ambulance to La Mision orphanage in Mexico.

A builder, a landlord, a restaurateur (he and wife Vickie were proprietors of V’s, Tulare’s flagship dining establishment and the caterer of choice for our Friday Rotary lunches), Paul Daley will forever be regarded as one of our most productive and organized leaders. This reputation was validated at the May 1997 District Conference at the Airport Hyatt in Burlingame, where the li’l ol’ Rotary Club of Tulare was named Rotary Club of the Year for District 5230 - the sweepstakes award of the entire proceedings. We also took home a Community Service Award based on the ambulance donation project-a year-end showing that may never be equaled by our gang!

Paul, a community supporter without peer, also spread throughout town the record proceeds (over $19,000) of the club’s biggest fundraiser, the Rotary Crab Feed & Auction. One of the parade of highlights during Paul’s year of service was the gala celebration of our 75th year as a club, held in November and attended by a roster of Rotary luminaries. Over 200 attended the evening event at the Tulare Elks Club, which raised the bar. considerably for all Rotary dinners to be planned in years to come.

If the Rotary Club of Tulare was indeed blessed by the leadership and commitment of Paul Daley, it was doubly ‘’blessed’’ by its next president, the Rev. James Bowser (a name like that and not one “dog joke” was uttered all year, can you believe it?). The “Sinister Minister” (whose Sunday crowd congregated at the First Congregational Church of Tulare), apparently used up all his benevolence and grace on the Sabbath, and had little left in reserve for his “Friday flock”. A pulpit-pounder by profession, Jim Bowser’s terrific podium presence made Tulare the venue of choice for “make-ups” from other clubs.

Finding our meetings became somewhat difficult when the Elks Lodge - our meeting place for nearly 30 years - was sold to a health care corporation in November.

Therefore, like Moses before him, Jim Bowser spent much of his year moving us from one meeting spot to another (the aerobics hall at the Tulare Fun and Fitness Center on Gem Street became our most-used temporary home between December 1997 and September 1998) like the persecuted bunch we certainly qualified as!

Exchange Student Christelle Lacointa from Plaisance du Touch (near Toulouse), France, brightened our year considerably, and Jim’s fundraising was on par with his predecessors’ as he re-reprised Casino Night at the Ag-Tac Center, and took Scot Hillman’s marble raffle to new heights (one pot reached $960 and was won by local Fire Chief, Al Miller).

Jim Bowser’s presidential year was abbreviated when he was called by a church in San Dimas, California in mid-February, but he didn’t leave without bearing his “cross”. A special “Friday the 13th” demotion ceremony was held in March to say good-bye to Jim.

A coalition of Past Presidents ran the club for the rest of the year, with Immediate Past President, Paul Daley, supervising the Club’s Board of Directors meetings.

History was truly made on July 1, 1998, when the first female president of the Tulare Rotary Club rode to the rescue of the Past Presidential team struggling to hold the club together. Melody Tucker, fresh from the International Convention in Indianapolis (her early-years hometown!), moved the club again-from Tulare Fun and Fitness to Rosa’s Italian restaurant in September, then to the new banquet room at V’s beginning with the meeting of March 5.

Apparently not challenged enough by riding herd once a week on a bunch of unruly Rotarians, Melody filled the first part of her year by campaigning for a seat on Tulare’s City Council and teaching an ethics class at College of the Sequoias.

The memorable project from Melody’s year of leadership saw the club provide $25,000 worth of playground equipment for the new Prosperity Sports Complex in town. Melody was instrumental in securing a RI grant to pay half of the cost of the donation. During her year the club also provided support for the Chamber of Commerce’s relocation and the Tulare Community Auditorium renovation. Melody had plenty of money to spend - the Crab Feed & Auction in March set a new record with just over $25,000 in net income - and spend she did!

Jim Pallas took charge of the club for the final term of the millennium, succeeding Melody Tucker in July of 1999. A friendly fellow with an automobile salesman’s skill for separating Tulare Rotarians from their money, Jim took heed of District Governor Roy Massey’s call to arms on membership. Jim pledged his hair to the club if they’d bring in ten new members during the year, and the members responded by rounding up a dozen, enabling them to enjoy the spectacle of a head-and-moustache shave on the occasion of Jim’s demotion!

Before complete baldness overtook him, Jim Pallas provided his club with a year of able and enjoyable leadership. A Mystery Trip to the venerable Dutch Frontier restaurant in Ducor, a great Christmas program at Encore Theater, $24,000 in income from the Crab Feed & Auction and a big crowd at the annual Golf Tournament were highlights for “Emerald Jim” Pallas’ [think Wizard of Oz] Rotary scrapbook.

Behind the scenes, he will always be remembered for righting the club’s financial ship, which had begun to list somewhat, and purging the club’s roster of a number of inactive members.

On a day that saw pink pasta served on pink paper plates sitting on pink tablecloths (washed down with pink lemonade!), Carol Rinn-Elkin became Rotary’s second “first lady”, promising her subjects a new look for the new millennium. The changes were immediate and obvious-including abolition of the long-standing custom of a “head table” at meetings.

Carol put true pizazz into the lives and meetings of Tulare’s Rotarians, introducing an Oktoberfest fundraiser (with Rich Worley and Matt Weaver as co-Chairs) moving the cornerstone Crab Feed & Auction to a new venue (the recently-completed Heritage Complex at the International Agri-Center), and providing the lunch crowd with consistently excellent food from V’s restaurant--a business she purchased from Paul Daley during her presidential year!

Even though Carol had a pacemaker installed over Thanksgiving weekend; it only seemed to increase her remarkable presidential pace which saw record amounts of financial stewardship flow out from the club to the community. The biggest benefactor of Carol’s energetic leadership was the Tulare Community Auditorium Restoration project, which collected over $10,500 in Rotary donations during Y2K.

Her demands that “offerings” brought back to the club by traveling members be either chocolate, jewelry or another traditional female-oriented gifts led to some genuinely knee-slappin’ fine sessions!

2001-2011

PRESIDENTS

2001-2002 Jerry Collins

2002-2003 Carol Rinn-Elkin

2003-2004 Sandra Bullard

2004-2005 Jeff Killion

2005-2006 Bret Stuber

2006-2007 Bob Bender

2007-2008 Matt Weaver

2008-2009 Sherrie Bell

2009-2010 Dr. Jessy Malli

2010-2011 Melvin “Skip” Barwick

The gavel passed to Tulare [Bank of the Sierra] banker Jerry Collins on July 1, 2001. An immensely organized leader and a paragon of consensus building, Jerry did just about everything right during his Rotary year. His missteps were few, but in true Rotary tradition they were used to return his “podium love” for the rest of the year. At one meeting he mistakenly introduced himself as “Bob”, which became his Rotary moniker until a guest speaker two months later repeatedly referred to him as “Tom” during his presentation. Jerry’s name then became a free-for-all--which thankfully never went the dark and twisted places it could have gone in the fast hands of a very creative club!

Jerry’s year saw a record income for the Rotary Crab Feed & Auction of just over $26,000, as well as the first “marble raffle” to top $1,000. Jerry wrapped up a successful season by hosting a mystery trip to a Mexican restaurant in Hanford operated by the son of club member Paul Daley and an enjoyable golf tournament chaired by member Rob Franklin. As one might expect, he got called every name in the books at his uproarious demotion on June 28, where the same “Internet jokes” he used to entertain his membership all year long were turned against him with predictable results.

Carol Rinn-Elkin became the first person [male or female!] in the long and colorful history of the Tulare Rotary to serve a second term of leadership when she was “recycled” as president beginning in July of 2002. Never one to rest on her laurels, Carol enlisted some of the club’s best and brightest to make 2002-2003 a year without peer in the club’s annals.

One of her inspirations was to plan and direct an 80th birthday party for the club, and with the help of Past President Larry Peterson, club members gathered on November 18 to celebrate their local organization’s eightieth anniversary with a five star banquet. The party took place at the Emerton Club in Tulare (formerly V’s), where the club’s “recycled” president functioned as the guiding light of both the club and the venue!

Carol pushed hard throughout the year to raise the bar on her prior powerhouse presidency. She drew in several new members, grew the ranks of in-house Paul Harris Fellows, and all the while kept her irreverent meetings, fun and filled with fellowship. Her “re-demotion” was a house-rocking “funeral” that included at least one loaded shotgun and some undeniably joyful “mourners”.

The Rotary Club of Tulare welcomed its fourth female president in six years when local Bank of America branch manager Sandra Bullard followed Carol to the club presidency for the 2003-2004 year. Although Sandra toned down Carol’s zesty podium patter, in her own inimitable way she led the club to another successful and memorable year.

Longtime Tulare photographer and historian Jeff Killion became President of Tulare Rotary on July 1, 2004. Just back from the Rotary International Convention in Brisbane, Australia, Jeff played off the feminine preferences of his two predecessors by banning the color pink in any form from all meetings. Those who mistakenly showed up with pink neckties, blouses, shirts or socks were quickly identified and “recognized” during the fine session. The father of an active duty military son, Jeff focused much of his fund-raising and activity toward the benefit of military causes; he asked that travelers bring in teddy bears or other stuffed animals and toys instead of the traditional bottles, T-shirts and other “bribe” gifts, then donated these (more than 400 through the year) to the children of members of our US armed forces. Jeff also directed the club to donate $1,000 in phone cards to military patients at Walter Reed Memorial Hospital and a burn center in Texas.

Killion’s year coincided with the Centennial Celebration of Rotary International, and the club’s outbound exchange student, Danielle Albers, went to Brazil, while the club hosted Nidya Pacheco from Argentina.

A staunch Tularean, Jeff pushed for projects with purely local benefit: a new soccer complex at Elk Bayou Park, a new bandstand in Zumwalt Park, and a contribution to Happy Trails therapeutic riding academy in Tulare were among the many benefactors of his year, funded in part by a Creb Feed net income that topped $31,500.

Needless to say, the club won several awards at the year-end district convention, including an RI Centennial Presidential Citation, a Governor’s Award for Community Service, and first place for Vocational Service and Outstanding Bulletin for clubs under 60 members.

Jeff celebrated his successful and fun year with a mystery trip to a Chevrolet museum in Lindsay that featured dinner at the venerable Springville Inn. The club later celebrated with a barn-burner of a demotion that put Jeff on the “hot seat” at his very own “photo shoot”. The color for the room decorations that day? Pink, of course!

Bret Stuber was next to sit in the Rotary hot seat when he took the gavel from Jeff Killion for the 2005-2006 club year. A local CPA whose soft-spoken, mild-mannered demeanor earned him endless needling from the club’s acid-tongued “peanut gallery”, Stuber was nonetheless an effective and efficient president, leading the club to one of the most significant philanthropic years in its long history.

His year of service saw Tulare Rotary build a much needed bathroom at the new Tulare Skate Complex in Topham Park ($25,000), donate $10,000 to the victims of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana, and purchase an auto pulse CPR machine for the Tulare Fire Department ($15,000). He also began a project to provide dictionaries to every third-grader in Tulare, a project which continues to this day. Thanks to his strong community outreach, the club garnered a Rotary International Citation for Public Image Achievement at then end of Bret’s year of service.

Bret’s international convention (honoring RI President Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar) was held in Chicago, Illinois, and inbound exchange student Thea Andreassen of Norway delighted all who hosted her, whether for multiple months or a single weekend. In contrast with most demotion proceedings, Bret Stuber’s Rotary farewell was subdued and lo-fi by design… but every bit as fun as any ever staged in Tulare.

Standing in sharp contrast to Bret Stuber’s button-down podium presence was Tulare’s next Rotary President, farmer, former grocer and entrepreneur Bob Bender. A colorful, fun-loving and self-deprecating free spirit, Bender was the first to conjure up an alter ego who joined him at the podium on Fridays to administrate the fine session. For those fifteen or twenty minutes, President Bob was relieved by “Cowboy Bob”, a wild-eyed refugee from the Wild West.

Cowboy Bob also introduced a new multi-media format for meetings (with approval from the Board to purchase a flat-screen TV monitor and DVD-VCR Player), so weekly meetings began to include a rotating slide show during lunch with slides of members and recent Rotary events. The fine sessions were also supplemented by photographic evidence. YouTube videos and other electronic entertainment tidbits were also shared with the members during the meetings, including the memorable “Trunk Monkey” ad series.

Bob Bender revived the Rotary Oktoberfest celebration and hosted it at his home, committed a team of his members to help engineer the inaugural Tulare Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast with Fresno Mayor Alan Autry as the keynote speaker, and morphed the club’s long-ignored “Student Loan Fund” into the “Tulare Rotary Foundation”, a 501(c)(3) charity. His Board also committed $15,000 to jointly fund a new Boys and Girls Club in town with the Tulare Sunrise Rotary Club. Much of the funding for the Tulare Club’s largess during this 2006-2007 year came from the new record set by the annual Crab Feed & Auction, which netted a whopping $61,000 for the host club.

President Bob may have been the first Tulare Rotarian to have a son (Jason) and a father (Bill) in the same club with him during his presidential year. Sadly, Bill Bender passed away during President Bob’s year, leaving a palpable void in the club. Every club member attending the meeting following his death received one of the gold “Bender Bucks” for which the elder Bender was justifiably famous.

Bob Bender’s International Convention was held in Denmark, his mystery trip took a busload of members to desolate Allensworth State Park, and his zeal for membership earned him the District 5230 award for “Largest Percentage Gain in Membership”, including the infamous “gang of eight” who were inducted en masse during one July meeting, setting a Tulare Rotary record for the largest induction ceremony ever.

His demotion was a true “bender”, featuring future Rotary President Skip Barwick as the over-lubricated “Hangin’ Judge”. President Bob escaped with a commuted life sentence, but, alas, “Cowboy Bob” was sentenced to a “bad noose” ending by a jury of his peers.

The unenviable task of following “Cowboy” Bob Bender fell upon the proprietor of Ely Auto Parts, Matt Weaver, the Tulare Rotary Club President for 2007-2008. A thespian by avocation, Matt’s meetings were reliably raucous, so there

certainly was no let-down in the absence of the Ol’ Gunslinger. Not many Rotarians were caught snoozing during those Friday afternoons!

Probably the greatest accomplishment of 2007-2008 was not even on Matt’s timetable going into the start of his year. Previously, the club had inherited the administrative responsibilities for Tulare’s bi-monthly blood drive from Gerald Stefl when he decided to retire for health reasons. Concerned about dwindling community participation, Tulare Rotarians Ken Dodson Jr., Craig Vejvoda, and Amy Benton developed an ambitious goal for the annual fall Blood Drive, which was scheduled for September 11th. To commemorate the 6th anniversary of the 2001 attacks on our country, the trio set a lofty goal of 343 pints, one for every firefighter lost in the Twin Towers in New York. As this represented almost six times the take of a typical blood drive, this goal seemed at best unattainable. However, due to the amazing work of Ken, Craig, Amy, and the Central California Blood Center, the goal was not only met, but surpassed - 402 pints! This blood drive has remained a successful local event to this day.

Matt Weaver also inherited a club which had long been discussing moving meeting days from the traditional Friday noon schedule, a change which many in the club and on the board felt could increase membership. Many members felt that Friday meetings impeded potential members’ vacation and work schedules, and discouraged them from joining. The rest of the club felt that Fridays were a long-held tradition for the club, and led to the jovial atmosphere of the meetings. Matt oversaw many lengthy debates during regular and board meetings, and lost many a night’s sleep over the club’s somewhat contentious division on the topic. Finally, in December of 2007, the general membership voted by a narrow margin to keep club meetings on Fridays.

By comparison, the rest of Matt’s year went smoothly. He netted roughly $51,000 at the Crab Feed, earning several 2nd and 3rd places in the District Conference service awards, and led a Mystery Trip to Forestiere Underground Gardens in Fresno. In a terrific finale to his year, the Tulare Rotary Board granted $25,000 to the Salvation Army to help serve needy working families in Tulare.

Another strong President, perhaps one of the club’s all-time greats, followed Matt Weaver to the Rotary Throne for the 2008-2009 year. Sherrie Bell, a realtor and community advocate, brought back the “alter ego” fine session, donning a witch’s hat before every “carpet call”. Sherrie started every meeting with a “blonde joke”, a few of which club members had to actually explain to her after she told them… But Sherrie’s “blonde tendencies” didn’t divert her from crafting one of the most successful Rotary campaigns in club history.

She was named President of the Year for District 5230, in addition to Tulare Rotary being awarded District 5230 Club of the Year. She also received a Rotary International Presidential Citation with Distinction for club activities and giving. Yes, Tulare’s broom-riding president swept all the major awards at the 2009 District Conference!

Notable accomplishments from Sherrie Bell’s year included a gift of $35,000 to fund a youth club, putting the finishing touches on Rotary Skate Park in Tulare (which won a state award), a fantastically successful Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast featuring speaker Jeff Eben, and a record amount of first-time Paul Harris Fellowships distributed to club members.

Sherrie notes with chagrin that her international convention was held “… in the exotic foreign land know as Los Angeles, California”, but her subsequent success brought great honor to her club and to District 5230 Governor August Hioco.

During 2008-2009, the club hosted inbound exchange student Tanguy La Court from Belgium, and sent outbound exchange student Kyle Gilman to Brazil.

Sherrie’s Mystery trip, led by Past President Charles Fisher (the Minister of Mystery Trips for the years 2003-2011) took a gang of Tularean Rotarians to the venerable Woolgrowers Basque restaurant in Bakersfield.

As one might expect, Sherrie Bell’s incendiary demotion ended up with her being found guilty of “witchcraft” and… burned at the stake.

Her replacement at the helm of the Tulare Rotary club for 2009-2010 was Tulare dentist Jessy Malli. Jessy was just back from the centennial Rotary International Convention in Birmingham, England when he took his place behind the podium in July of 2009.

One of the youngest but certainly among the brightest presidents in the history of Tulare Rotary, went right to work earning money that eventually went toward a $10,000 room-naming opportunity at the brand new Tulare Public Library. His charitable budget was enhanced by a staggering $78,000 in net proceeds from the annual Crab Feed & Auction, a new high water mark for the event.

Jessy presided over one of the more “nomadic” years in the long journey of the Tulare club, which met in three different places (the back room of the Tulare Chamber of Commerce building, the First Assembly of God church on Mooney Boulevard, and finally the Tulare Masonic Lodge. Jessy took his Mystery Trip guests to Chukchansi casino in Oakhurst, California, where, he wryly noted later, he didn’t win a penny.

His true reward was meted out in late June of 2010, when he was demoted at the hands of a “panel of consulting practitioners” in one of the most painful dental procedures ever witnessed by anyone, anywhere.

His cavity was filled by local realtor Skip Barwick, who just happened to be running a campaign for City Council as he stepped into his Rotary role in July of 2010. Unfortunately for Skip, that campaign was successful, and he ended up with a pair of the most time-consuming and dynamic community leadership roles one could possibly have. Somehow (it certainly helped that his wife Mary Jane was also a Tulare Rotarian), Skip was able to ride the tsunami wave of his double-booked life through what was an inarguably fruitful year for the club.

Skip leaned perhaps a bit too heavily on his Shafter High School education, and suffered more than his share of slings and arrows from his Friday afternoon constituency as he stumbled through multi-syllabic pronunciations. But his good humor and un-filtered personality (Skip donned a headdress during fine time, which he ran as “Chief Running Bowel”) carried the day, as did his strong Board and growing membership.

During Skip’s year, which was preceded by his attendance at the RI convention in Montreal, Canada, the club offered significant support to the Tulare Athletic Club, the local Salvation Army post and led the charge on the most successful 9/11 Memorial Blood Drive ever.

Inbound exchange student Luca Bianchessi from Italy was a beloved presence at his Friday meetings, and outbound student Chantelle was a frequent correspondent from Thailand. In May, Past President Charles Fisher led our merry bunch on a Mystery Trip to Chukchansi casino, and the club received a Community Service Award at the District Conference in May, 2011. At the end of June, Skip suffered through an abusive and exuberant demotion celebration disguised as a “Shafter High Class Reunion”.

2011-2021

PRESIDENTS

2011-2012 Scott Daley

2012-2013 Deanne Martin-Soares

2013-2014 Jennifer Pinheiro

2014-2015 Ken Dodson, Jr.

2015-2016 Ronald Smith

2016-2017 Philip Smith

2017-2018 Renee Soto

2018-2019 Craig Vejvoda

2019-2020 Sherrie Bell*

2019-2020 Ronald Smith*

2019-2020 Matt Weaver*

2020-2021 Donnette Silva Carter

2021-2022 Richard Mendevil

*Served 4 months

Scott Daley, son of Past President Paul Daley, was next to the fore as the 2011-2012 Rotary season kicked off. Another young gun, Scott brought outstanding energy and a flair for fun to his role, raising the level of excitement in the club to new heights as it celebrated its 90th year of existence.

Freshly inspired by his attendance at the 2011 International Convention in New Orleans, Scott’s year of leadership had the spirited feel of a Mardi Gras celebration of all things Rotary. His contributions to the continuing traditions of the Tulare Club were many and varied. Scott founded the Rotary Foundation Fantasy Football League—which contributes a Paul Harris annually in the name of the winner—and launched his Club’s first foray into the wild world of social media by establishing the Tulare Rotary Facebook page as his first order of presidential business. Income from his Crab Feed fundraiser crested the $100,000 mark, and the 9/11 Memorial Blood Drive held under his watch drew a record 1,087 donors.

Other “firsts” pioneered during the “Scott Daley era” were the initial proclamation of October 18, 2011 as World Polio Day by the City of Tulare, as well as what is believed to be the first open Rotary Meeting held during the annual run of the World Ag Expo in February of 2012. Scott chaired and led the Club’s gala 90th Anniversary celebration on October 28, 2011. It had been years since the Tulare Club enjoyed so many opportunities for fellowship that didn’t begin and end on a Friday afternoon; a Rotary Movie Night at the Galaxy Theater and an Oktoberfest event were also highlights of Scott Daley’s year.

His major community project was a donation to the Tulare Athletic Boxing Club of $50,000 to build a soccer/sports field on its property, a large-scale effort that wasn’t completed until the following year.

Scott didn’t keep the Club’s giving local. He and fellow board member Jennifer Pinheiro also went on an outreach trip to Guatemala led by club member Daniel Enriquez in January 2012 to commit random acts of international kindness. His Inbound Rotary Exchange Student Nacho Euclides from Argentina was not only a witness to this XXL Rotary living, but he was a frequent participant as well.

Entrepreneur Deanne Martin-Soares accepted the challenge of picking up at the lofty spot—high on our club’s historical arc—where Scott Daley left off. Although she declined to attend the 2012-2013 International convention in Bangkok, Thailand (perhaps after a screening of The Hangover 2?), Deanne hit the podium on July 1, 2012 ready to work. And work she did.

Not only had she assumed the responsibility of leading a busy and productive service club, her “day job” as Founder and CEO of the healthcare enterprise Amdal In-Home Care demanded more than full-time attention. A degree-wielding RN who also excelled as a businessperson, Deanne made it a priority to focus on the club’s economic health. In contrast to most club leaders, who were concerned primarily with gross income, Deanne examined the expense lines of the club’s ledgers and found that even the most basic costs were not covered by dues and lunch charges. Despite the protests of her board and others, Deanne raised the numbers on both of those key factors of the club’s pricing structure and in doing so, significantly increased its sustainability. “My board meetings often felt like battles,” she recalls. “But we had a lot of good discussion about how to create balances that retained members, yet allowed the club to thrive.”

Deanne also fought to increase awareness of the club’s demographics and its need to increase membership. She began a new event in the fall of her presidency that is still part of the Club’s annual calendar—an after-hours bash called Pints for Polio that showcased local and regional breweries while raising money for Rotary International’s most cherished charitable cause. Much of her fundraising went toward the completion of the soccer field at the Tulare Athletic Club, which was completed during her term. The club also contributed toward a project that brought clean drinking water to outlying communities in Tulare County.

Deanne’s focus on club infrastructure was more than equalized by a slate of good time events, including a memorable Mystery Trip to Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace Country Theater in Bakersfield for an evening of honky-tonkin’.

She hosted an inbound Rotary Exchange student from Japan named Mia and underwrote the Brazilian outbound exchange experience of Mica Mercado.

Deanne’s presidential successor Jennifer Pinheiro began the 2013-2014 Rotary year by attending the International convention in Lisbon Portugal—making Jenn a true… Portu-gal. Her term of leadership was the ideal mix of impactful service projects and fabulously fun Friday fellowship, the latter amplified by the fact that Jenn brought back the “fine time persona”. In her case, she donned the zebra-striped shirt of a referee, and, complete with whistle, levied a record number of “penalties” upon her membership for infractions such as “traveling”.

She also dug up members’ high school portraits and screened them at her meetings, creating a fun guessing game for the assembly.

During her lively year, the club hosted inbound Rotary Exchange student Pierre Coquelle from France and sponsored outbound student Carlos Cisneros (from the Salinas Club), who went to Japan. Her Mystery Trip took a bus full of anticipation-addled club members to the Old Schoolhouse restaurant in rural Sanger.

Jenn’s leadership truly shined through the charitable projects she championed. She teamed up with the Tulare Sunrise Rotary Club on an international project in remote Guatemala, building three new classrooms, five new bathrooms, and providing desks for a school with 450 children.

The Tulare club also partnered with the Jason Heigl Foundation to build an animal interaction area at the Tulare Animal Shelter, contributing $15,000 toward what was named the Tulare Rotary Canine Courtyard. The courtyard provided shelter animals a much-needed place for exercise and potential animal owners a venue to interact with the animals.

Veteran Tulare Fire Department Division Chief Ken Dodson, Jr. came in hot on July 1, 2014 to relieve Jenn of her duties and turn up the heat under his lunch bunch. Another Rotary president given to the occasional unintentional misstatement and plagued all year by a balky laptop that rendered his PowerPoint program slides temporarily unusable, Ken provided plenty of material for the joyous anarchists that attended his meetings. His good-natured personality was impervious to the heckling, however, and his steady leadership was equal to the task of defining his presidential year by the many great causes and projects the club supported.

Principal among those projects was a multi-year, matching-funds project to renovate the home of Tulare’s beloved Encore Theater. He also partnered with one of the Visalia Rotary clubs to create a charity bicycle ride from Visalia to the District Conference in Monterey, where the riders (Ken among them) presented a check for $100,000 (payable to the Rotary Foundation) to District Governor Joe Grebmeier.

Inbound Rotary Exchange Student Marnik van Cauter from Belgium was in regular attendance at his meetings; the club also supported Matthew Grimmer’s outbound Exchange journey to Germany. Ken’s take on the Mystery Trip landed a full house of club members at the Southern Pacific Depot restaurant in Visalia “after riding all around Tulare County on a bus”, as Ken later recounted.

At the end of his term, he was roundly abused in a “Night before Christmas”-themed demotion, where Ken—seated in front of a crackling virtual fire—was haunted by “ghosts” who reminded him of his many misdeeds. This ghost roast created a truly memorable send-off for Ken, who coincidentally retired from his leadership role and long career with the Tulare Fire Department the same week as his demotion from the club presidency.

Local funeral director Ronald Smith followed Ken to the top of the Tulare Rotary Club heap as the 2015-2016 year kicked off, becoming the first person of color to lead the club—a streak LONG overdue for obliteration.

In support of District Governor Yavuz V. Atila, Ron continued the club’s commitment to the multi-year Encore Theater project—and funded several other local community charitable causes as well, buoyed by a six-figure crab feed income. Ron’s year was undeniably successful on both fundraising AND fellowship fronts; his fine persona featured a king’s crown used liberally to wring gifts of penance from his peasantry. His niece Sloane Stephens, a high-ranking professional tennis player, brought added excitement to the club as it followed her, and Ron offered an annual auction item every year for the crab feed that included two tickets and airfare to the U. S. Open tennis tournament in Flushing Meadows, New York where several club members were able to meet the young star.

Ron’s presidency was laid not-so-quietly to rest on his last Friday in office via a Matt Weaver-penned comic tragedy that involved many members of the club as mourners. De mortuis nil nisi bonum: say nothing but good of the dead.

In a classic illustration of the term “double trouble”, the Tulare Rotary club experienced back-to-back Smiths when banker Philip Smith (no relation to Ronald) was deposited at the Rotary podium for the 2016-2017 fiscal year. Phil had foregone the opportunity to attend the 2016 Rotary International Convention in Sao Paulo, Brazil that year—in his own words: “I would have loved to go, but they were experiencing water shortages, and I was experiencing a shortage of disposable income.”

His presidency didn’t miss a beat, however, as he put a fruitful amount of effort into taking its Friday meetings to the next level of enjoyability. He leveraged the comic gifts and actor’s chops of Matt Weaver, whom he dubbed the “Minister of Mirth”, and tasked with delivering humor in some form to each meeting, and recruited a memorable list of program speakers.

Phil also delivered bountifully on fundraisers, with a notably gargantuan haul from the club’s annual Crab Feed Auction, and recalls “bringing in more new members than we lost”, which was (and is) a big win for service clubs in our era.

Insurance agent Renee Soto became the first club president in three years not named Smith when she filled Phil’s spot for the 2017-2018 year. She had just returned from the 2017 International Convention in Atlanta, Georgia when she became the club’s third female president in the last half dozen years—a .500 batting average that spoke volumes about the positive changes in Rotary clubs everywhere, and was a tangible reason for the success of ours.

In support of District Governor Art Gaffery, Renee was a literal project princess.

Fittingly, she also hosted a Wine & Roses event celebrating 30 years of women in Rotary. Her Mystery Trip was another one of those long, circuitous bus rides that ended up at Tulare’s La Piazza restaurant, less than a mile from where the bus was boarded.

Longtime Tulare Financial Advisor Craig Vejvoda attended the 2018 International Convention in Toronto, Canada just before ascending to the leadership of his Tulare club. His “Bohemian Viking” fine-session characterization—a shared tribute to his ancestry and his favorite NFL team—was one of the most enjoyable of the Tulare club’s growing roster of alter-ego podium personas. The Bohemian Viking wielded a mighty sword that cut deep into the wallets of the plundered.

“We didn’t have a big focus in terms of a project, so we grew the club’s Foundation account by over $20,000,” recalls Craig of his spoils of war. “We also made bigger contributions to educational scholarships ($14,500), Tulare Emergency Aid ($5,250), the Tulare County Office of Education for a SCICON project ($5,000) and contributed to the Tulare Police Explorers ($3,500).”

Craig also focused on membership; he and his board of directors held a recruitment planning session moderated by former District Governor Nina Clancy where they developed a plan called the “Road to 100 [members]”. His professional planning instincts led him to solidify the currently wobbly outlook for club leadership into a concrete slate of successors—albeit one crafted with some decidedly creative solutions.

The creativity leveraged by Craig Vejvoda and his leadership team was nowhere more evident than the unprecedented presidential “Three- Headed Monster” that governed the club during the 2019-2020 Rotary year—a season that somehow trumped the uniqueness of a rotating cast of presidents by descending into absolute chaos during its third trimester. It was new territory from the start: a trio of past Presidents Ronald Smith, Sherrie Bell, and Matt Weaver, would each take the gavel for four months of the year. Surprisingly, it worked. Fabulously. Until it didn’t. Ron Smith’s “King Ronald” ruled over the fine sessions from July through October, then Sherrie Bell’s “Bad Witch” fittingly took charge on Halloween and held the club under a spell until February. And then… COVID-19 happened. Matt Weaver’s much-anticipated return to the Tulare Rotary podium vaporized, along with just about every other semblance of normality. After a month of darkness, the club began meeting “virtually” via videoconference, a solution adopted in various forms by Rotary clubs around the world.

Matt’s ability to improvise proved him to be ideally suited for a strange new role in a strange new world and the club actually regained its footing as the year drew to a close.

The Rotary Exchange visits of Margherita Milani from Milan, Italy (inbound) and Peyton McKinzie, our outbound student in Spain, came to a premature halt with the advance of the coronavirus.

In the long history of our club, there has never been—and we ALL hope there never will be again—a Rotary year like the one that welcomed Tulare Chamber of Commerce CEO Donnette Carter to the club presidency in July of 2020. She took the (virtual) gavel on July 1 after enduring the jarring blow that was the cancellation of her Rotary International Convention, planned for Honolulu, Hawaii.

All of Donnette’s first eight months of weekly meetings were held via videoconference, and she deployed her “Portuguese Princess” fine-session persona despite her inability to sprinkle fairy dust on a single soul. Hers was a year of losses: there were few travel opportunities—indeed, a dearth of fine-able offenses at all—for her members, and the Rotary Exchange program had been mothballed for the duration of the pandemic. A late summer attempt at a virtual “Crabless Auction” was underwhelming. Annual activities like the Mystery Trip were out of the question.

On a positive note, she was able to access speakers who might not have been able to travel to the club for an actual meeting, and the new online format allowed members to attend the meetings from “virtually” anywhere. Donnette also instituted fun new activities like “Rotary Jeopardy” and “Tulare Jeopardy”, and continued Matt Weaver’s themed meme segments.

As the pandemic took a breather in the spring of 2021, Donnette experimented with a few “actual reality” meetings hosted outdoors at the home of club member Ray Van Beek.

As her leadership year drew to a close, she and her board moved the club’s in-person meetings from the Tulare Masonic Lodge to the Trade Room at the Tulare Chamber of Commerce building, where the club hadn’t met in over a decade.

“Two events from my year stand out,” Donnette remembers. “Maybe that’s because they were the only two events we could really execute.”

“One was the 9/11 Memorial Blood Drive, which was considered an ‘essential event’ in accordance with California COVID guidelines.

We went from a one-day drive to two days to accommodate smaller groups, all the food was pre-packaged, and the building professionally sanitized in-between event days thanks to the generosity of the Benevento family which owns ServiceMaster by Benevento.’

“The other was our two Prayer Breakfast activities. The first—since we couldn’t meet at that time—was delayed from the previous year. We released those videos of the various prayer speakers presenting their prayers and shared them on our club social media sites as well as multiple Tulare-hosted Facebook pages. As COVID-19 continued to loom over us—but in compliance with the updated guidelines—we pivoted to a smaller live-streamed event held at Galaxy Theatres in Tulare for the actual 2021 Prayer Breakfast. We had a group of about 45 people who were present at the theatre and many other Rotarians (local and afar), as well as the public, were able to watch the Livestream from the comfort and safety of their homes and offices. I was proud of the fact that we could make both of those events happen, despite the significant challenges.”

Donnette’s “no good very bad” year will actually be recorded into history as an astounding success. The club received 15 District citations, and Donnette was awarded an “Essential Rotarian” distinction by District Governor Bruce Mackey during his August 2021 visit to the club.

We are trying not to read too much into the fact that funeral director Richard Mendivil is directing the action at the Rotary Club of Tulare as it celebrates its 100th year of existence. Richard has breathed new life into the Grand Old Club in a number of delightful ways, including a fine session that relies on a spin-the-wheel game that leverages the improvisational gifts of the legendary Matt Weaver. He has also added a Rotary education reading to the program at each meeting and instituted a formal greeter program which puts a rotating cast of members at the door of the Trade Room at the Chamber of Commerce building to welcome members and visitors alike.

Resoundingly successful as it nears its halfway point, Richard’s term of leadership will enjoy the uplift of a November 13, 2021 celebration of the club’s centennial, held at the Tulare Historical Museum.

With the coronavirus pandemic seemingly waning and evidence of economic and social resurgence mounting with each passing day, we are, as a body, hopeful that a fresh new era is just ahead—for both Tulare Rotary and the world.