| Club History
Where It All Began
The Rotary Club of Newberg was organized December 20, 1935 and received its charter February 5, 1936, with 22 charter members, becoming the 3,910th club in Rotary International which was in 79 different countries. The charter presentation was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Portland and was presided over by District Governor Stanley Long of Seattle. Today there are over 34,280 clubs around the world in 200 countries with over 1.2 million members.
Until the 1960’s the Rotary Club of Newberg met for its weekly Wednesday luncheon at the Chamber of Commerce rooms, above City Hall, then moved to Bowman’s Restaurant at 400 East First Street (currently occupied by Lucky Fortune Chinese Restaurant). It outgrew Bowman’s and moved to Riverwood Golf Clubhouse (located west of Dundee) in 1974. Meetings were moved back to Newberg in 1978 to the Chehalem Park and Recreation District Center and later to the Cap and Gown Room at George Fox University’s Heacock Commons. In 2016 the growth of George Fox University resulted in the club moving their meetings to the Chehalem Cultural Center in late August.
Sources: 50th and 75th anniversary editions of the Newberg Graphic, copies of which are located at the Newberg Public Library Club Presidents History Book Rotary.org The Rotator The Rotarian The Newberg Graphic George Fox University Archives.
Note: As part of the club’s celebration of its 80th anniversary in 2016, Britta Stewart was hired through the Chehalem Valley Chamber of Commerce Internship Program. During the summer of 2016 Britta, a junior history major at George Fox University, went through years of Rotary club documents and interviewed a number of past presidents. Her work is a valuable history of our club as well as the Newberg community.
Young Paul Harris, a graphic novel.
This graphic novel was commissioned by the Rotary Club Pistoia-Montecatini Terme (Italy), with the participation of District 2071 through the grant of District Funds provided by the Rotary Foundation, following a thoughtful evaluation of compliance with the principles of the 7 areas of focus of Rotary International.
The initiative moved in accordance with Rotary’s Purpose to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise.
Paul Harris tells the story of his life to Silvestre Schiele, Gustav Loehr and Hiram Shorey: thus was born Rotary and began the fascinating journey spreading its ideal all over the world.
This graphic novel is a tribute to the youth of Paul Harris, an extraordinary example to show how a great idea can arise from the simple need to share and communicate.
Paul Harris isn’t a fearless “hero”: he is a strong young man whose determination has been the key to create a world-wide association based on a simple but significant intention: friendship and service above self.
Rotary Time Traveler
February 23, 1905. Rotary started with the vision of one man — Paul Harris. The Chicago attorney formed the Rotary Club of Chicago on 23 February 1905, so professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships. Over time, Rotary’s reach and vision gradually extended to humanitarian service.
Project Histories
