Rotary Club of Old Town
A Brief History of the Rotary Club of Old Town, Maine
Author Unknown
On August 28, 1927, a meeting was held at the cottage of James Sewall to discuss the feasibility of forming a Rotary Club. Soon after this meeting another meeting was held at the municipal court room and fifteen men signed an application for a Rotary Charter. The Bangor Rotary Club sponsored the new club, assuming the work of surveying the field prior to forming the club.
Pending action on the application by the Board of Directors of Rotary International, a provisional club was formed under the leadership of William Waterhouse, presiding officer and Samuel Cutler, secretary. The provisional club held luncheon meetings on Thursdays at the Elks Hall.
On November 27, 1927, Arthur N. Sapp, President of Rotary International for the year 1927-1928, signed the charter of the Old Town Rotary Club, thus conferring upon a group of business and professional men in Old Town's locality the rights, privileges and duties pertaining to a unit of a virile and rapidly growing organization. The charter, #2697, was completed by Chesley Perry, the veteran secretary of the new movement that was embracing the world.
A representative group of citizens of the Old Town locality, a large delegation from the Bangor Rotary Club and notable guests from other Maine cities graced the Elks Hall on the occasion of the formal presentation of the charter to the officers and members of the newly organized Rotary Club on the evening of November 27, 1927.
Charter Members
- Albert (Bert) Averill - Partner A.G. Averill Company
- Stephen (Rex) R. Buzzell - Logging
- Israel (Ira) R. Cutler - Women's Clothing Retail
- George E. Desjardins - Proprietor, Leather Specialties
- John H. Hickey - Life Insurance
- Dr. Lewis S. Libby - Dentistry
- Stanley F. Needham - General Law Practice
- Almanzar (Al) A. Bergeron - Osteopathy
- Ralph W. Chapman - Electrical Machinery Manufacture
- Samuel (Sam) Cutler 0 Edwin Cutler Men's Clothing
- Virgil H. Goodwin - Manager Chapman Fibre Company
- Dr. Arthur P. Latno - Physician and Surgeon
- Charles E. Lunt - Proprietor Crockery and Glassware Retail
- James (Jim) W. Sewall - Prop. Forestry Service
- William H. Waterhouse - Real Estate Agency