Rotary club of London celebrates 100 years
Posted by Whitney South (London Community News)
on Mar 24, 2015
Rotary Club of London celebrates 100 years of service
.jpg)
Helping hands
Whitney South
John Eberhard, a member of the Rotary Club of London for 44 years, presents Fashawe Pioneer Village curator Shanna Dunlop with the club's banner to add to the exhibit, The Rotary Club of London: Celebrating 100 Years of Service.
London Community News
The year was 1915; Babe Ruth made his pitching debut with the Boston Red Sox, thousands of North Americans were battling overseas in the first World War and the Ford Company drove its one-millionth Model T automobile off the line.
That same year, 16 local businessmen founded the Rotary Club of London, which is currently celebrating its 100th anniversary in the Forest City.
Affectionately known as the “downtown” club, Rotary London averages about 100 members, making them the largest Rotary Club in the Greater London Area.
Through their work, the London club has maintained its motto, "service before self,” assisting local organizations including Hutton House, Missions Services of London and St. Joseph’s Hospice, just to name a few.
For John Eberhard, an active Rotarian for the past 44 years, joining the club meant carrying on a family tradition, following in his father’s footsteps.
“My dad was very active in the organization for as long as I can remember,” said Eberhard, recounting a story where even on vacation his father refused to miss out. “So they had a Rotary meeting right there on the ship, he just couldn’t mess up his perfect attendance record.”
One of only five district governors hailing from London, Eberhard said his best memories came from his 17 years as chairman of Woodeden, a camp created for children with disabilities.
“The most important part for me was my relationship with the staff and the kids,” he said, adding he saw the experience as a welcome diversion from his professional life as a lawyer. “It was great to be able to get out of the courtroom and into an informal and very satisfying environment, to see and help the place grow.”
Eberhard was also instrumental in helping form the Strathroy Rotary Club, which was the first club in Canada to be chartered with women, in 1989.
“We got together 30 men and 30 women and sent in the application, which at first the club rejected,” he said with a laugh. “But soon enough we were breaking ground and helped set the standard for change in Canada.”
As part of the yearlong festivities, Fanshawe Pioneer Village has put together a special exhibition, which they hope captures the history of the club, with artifacts commemorating a century of service throughout the London community.
“I really think people who come to visit are going to be surprised that a lot of their world and organizations they belong to are touched by Rotary,” said curator Shanna Dunlop. “They’re not only going to learn about the history of the club, but the history of London as well.”
Dozens of artifacts from years gone by pepper the exhibit, which includes everything from archival photos to an actual iron lung used for polio treatments.
To date, Rotary International has helped decrease polio cases by 99 percent worldwide since their first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979. Just one of the many ways they, along with the London club, have made a name for themselves through their work with children.
“There’s a really long and wonderful relationship with the Rotary Club of London and assisting youth in particular,” said Dunlop, adding it was the club who helped establish what is now the Thames Valley Children’s Centre. “When you look at such a recognized institution, it’s obvious how important a part Rotary played in the foundation of our community.”
For more information on the exhibition, Rotary Club of London: Celebrating 100 Years of Service, visit www.fanshawepioneervillage.ca.