Wakefield Rotary Club Marks 90th Birthday

The following is an announcement from the Wakefield Rotary Club:

The Wakefield Rotary Club is celebrating its 90th year serving the Wakefield community! Founded on September 28, 1922, the Wakefield Rotary Club is one of the oldest Rotary Clubs world-wide. Currently known as the fastest-growing Rotary club in Massachusetts, with 17 new members in the last 14 months, it carries a tradition of local service and fellowship.

A progressive service organization, the club recognizes the talents and passions of each member and empowers them to benefit the community.

Attorney Jay Curley noted during the club’s celebration, “Over the past 40 or more years I’ve seen many changes in Rotary including a looser attendance policy and a younger membership. But the strength of the fellowship I’ve enjoyed and friendships that I’ve made have stayed the same.” Curley added, “In my opinion the best change over the years has been the policy to allow women into Rotary. It was undoubtedly the best thing that ever happened to Rotary.”  

Current Club President Amy Luckiewicz would agree, “I joined Rotary when I was 25. I thought it was an organization for older professional men. I had no idea how welcoming Rotary was of women and young people.”

Part of Rotary International, the club is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.

There are currently 48 members of the Wakefield Club and 1.2 million Rotarians in 160 countries worldwide.  The first Rotary Club was founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1905 by an attorney named Paul Harris and several of his colleagues. The name “Rotary” was derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among each of the members’ offices. The Rotary motto is “Service above self”.  For more information, visit www.wakefieldrotaryclub.org.