Welcome

 

The inaugural club meeting was held on December 27, 1961. On December 29, 1961 the list of charter members was submitted. 

 

The following is taken from the 1999 members directory history from 1961-1963

President - Richard F. Kilroy
Vice Pres - William C. Kilroy
Secretary - Ronald Tripp
Treasurer - Richard E. Jordan
Directors : Edwin L. Inness, Clyde Pierce, Maurice Viens, Warren Simpson

The idea of a Rotary Club in South Portland was first conceived by Bill Kilroy, President of the Rotary Club of Rumford, Maine in 1954. He enlisted the aid of his brother, Dick Kilroy, and on December 27, 1961, a meeting was held at Howard Johnson's Restaurant in Thornton Heights with the following twenty-one members in attendance:

 

Al Baka	Earl Barrett	Dr. Jack Boland	Mel Charity
Al DiMatteo	Ed L Inness	Dan Gacetta	Dick Jordan
Bill Kilroy	Dick Kilroy	Bob Lamy	Clyde Pierce
Blaine Raymond	Dr. Paul Rieger	Allen Rowe Jr.	Ron Tripp
Warren Simpson	Don Skillings	Mark Stimson	Ted Wainwright
Joe Viens	Dick Yerxa

 

Cost of the meal was $1.50. Annual dues were $25.

We were sponsored by the Rotary Club of Portland Club, and Ray Frost, one of their members was designated as our advisor. May Rowe, Allen's wife, supplied the drawings for TWO LIGHTS our weekly bulletin and Robert Stevens of the Rotary Club of Portland donated song books. Our Rotary banner made its first appearance on February 21.

On March 31 we celebrated Charter Night with a roast beef dinner at the South Portland High School Cafeteria with 300 in attendance. The cost was $3.50 each. Twenty three clubs sent gifts. The inspiring Rotary address was given by G. Arnold McArthur, Immediate Past District Governor from Shawinigan
Falls, Quebec, Canada. George W. Goodall, President of the Portland Club, gave the response.

On June 6 we had a monthly attendance of 99% and knocked Shawinigan Falls out of first place in the District 779 attendance standings. Noon luncheon meetings started on Wednesday, June 20 for the summer. Cost of meals increased to $2. Dan Gacetta brought in our first foreign exchange banner
from Rennes Nord, France.

A Summer outing was held on Sunday, August 12th at Dick Kilroy's cottage at Little Sebago for Rotarians and their wives. Ted Wainright furnished airplane rides.

On August 11 Dick Yerxa and Priscilla A. Soule were married.

On October 3 our first District Governor's visit and Ladies' Night was held at Carolyn's, Cope Elizabeth. District Governor Malcolm P. Noyes from the Rotary Club of Ellsworth attended. 

On December 26 we had a joint meeting with the Rotary Club of Scarborough. A trophy was awarded to the Scarborough Club for winning the three month attendance contest.

 

December 1962 was the first time we sold Christmas Trees. Our net profit was $422. Half of this was presented to the South Portland Jaycees for the South Portland Library Building Fund. 

 

The District Conference was held at the Poland Spring House in June.