1905
Rotary began in Chicago, Illinois.

1917
The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International was founded.

1918
The Rotary Club of Jacksonville was organized on March 22, 1918, under the sponsorship of the Peoria Rotary Club. The Jacksonville Club would go on to sponsor clubs in Petersburg, Litchfield, and Roodhouse.

1920
The Rotary Club of Jacksonville undertook its first service project by constructing a Youth Camp Building on Meredosia Bay, which provided summer camp experiences for area youth.

1921
The Rotary Club of Jacksonville sponsored the establishment of a Kiwanis club in Jacksonville.

1937
D. L. Hardin began as club secretary and editor of the Lubricator (the club newsletter, which he edited for the next 42 years). His son Steve would join The Rotary Club of Jacksonville in 1973 and succeed D.L. in this important club office, also serving for more than 40 years.

1945
49 Rotarians were integrally involved in drafting the United Nations charter.

1947
Rotary Founder Paul Harris died. Contributions to Rotary in his memory resulted in a Rotary Fellowship Fund that sought to promote peace by funding year-long fellowship exchange opportunities for outstanding college graduates to conduct advanced academic study abroad. This program would later be renamed the Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarship, and would provide scholarships for 38,000 men and women from about 100 nations before it was discontinued in 2013. The Rotary Club of Jacksonville sponsored Scholars who studied in Wales, England, France, Austria, Germany, Ireland, France, Northern Ireland, and the Netherlands.

1956
John W. “Jack” Hackett joined the Club, of which his father was a member and his grandfathers had helped to charter. Jack is the Club’s longest-serving current member. Other long-serving members are Bob Linde (1968), Wolf Fuhrig (1969), and Ed Ecker (1971).

1957
The “Big Eli No. 17” Ferris Wheel was converted to a 12-seater, sold to The Rotary Club of Jacksonville, and permanently installed in Nichols Park.

1962
Interact, a service organization for people in high school, was created.

1965
Group Study Exchange program began. These international exchange groups involved small groups of Rotarians and non-Rotarian business people and professionals between the ages of 25 and 40 in the early stages of their careers, in two-month study periods where they traveled to and learned about each other’s country. The Rotary Club of Jacksonville was involved in the District 6460 Group Study Exchange program, which sponsored exchanges with India, South Africa, Norway, Nigeria, Italy, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Thailand, Sweden, the Philippines, Macedonia, and other countries. The program concluded in 2013.

1968
Rotaract programs (for people ages 18-30) were launched.

1971
Rotary International adopted the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) program, which helps high school youth hone their leadership, decision-making, citizenship, and conflict resolution skills. The Rotary Club of Jacksonville sponsors youth to attend District 6460 RYLA training in April of each year at Lake Williamson in Carlinville. RYLA will take place April 6-8, 2018.

1972
Youth Exchange became an official Rotary International program, providing support for youth to spend a year abroad, with the goal of making the world smaller — creating a more interconnected and understanding world. The Rotary Club of Jacksonville has hosted students for year-long exchanges from Brazil, South Africa, Germany, Columbia, Japan, France, Italy, Slovakia, Sweden, Taiwan, Mexico, Bolivia, Denmark, Chili, and other countries. The Club has sponsored “out-bound” students from central Illinois for a year-long experience in Japan, Brazil, West Germany, Finland, Argentina, Venezuela, Belgium, Sweden, France, Norway, Spain, Poland, Taiwan, Germany, Australia, Belgium, the Netherlands, and other countries.

1977
Jacksonville was visited by the Rotary International President W. Jack Davis. While here, Davis received an Honorary Doctorate degree from MacMurray College.

1979
The U.S. and Canada were declared polio-free.

1982
Jacksonville Rotarian Robert Caldwell received the Rotary International Citation for Meritorious Service. This award is given to Rotarians who have demonstrated exemplary service to the Rotary Foundation. No more than 50 such awards are presented worldwide, each year.

1985
Rotary launched its PolioPlus program, the first initiative to tackle global polio eradication through the mass vaccination of children. Rotary has since contributed more than $1.7 billion and countless volunteer hours to immunize more than 2.5 billion children in 122 countries.

The Rotary Club of Jacksonville, led by Fred Osburn, held its first Scholar Athlete Banquet, which recognizes the accomplishments of students from regional high schools who personify excellence in both athletics and academic achievement.

1986
The Rotary Club of Jacksonville donated the Big Eli Ferris Wheel to the City of Jacksonville and in 1995 moved it from Nichols Park to Community Park.

1987
The U.S. Supreme Court rules that women can be members of Rotary, and R. Jean Jumper becomes the first woman to join The Rotary Club of Jacksonville. She would be the Club’s first woman president in 1993. In 2018, there are more than 200,000 women in Rotary, and half of The Rotary Club of Jacksonville’s membership are women.

1992
The Rotary Club of Jacksonville for the first time conducted the 4th of July Parade – a tradition that has continued through 2018.

1994
The Rotary Club of Jacksonville sponsored the establishment of the Jacksonville South Rotary Club, which would be renamed the Jacksonville Sunrise Rotary Club in 1997.

1995
The Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce’s Business Education Partnership paired the Jacksonville Rotary Club with Franklin Elementary School.

1996
The Russian Federation was declared polio-free.

1998
A Rotaract Club was established at MacMurray College.

2000
The Club conducted its first Bass Tournament at Lake Jacksonville, a major fundraiser allowing the Club to support a broad variety of charitable purposes within the community.

2002
Europe was declared polio-free.

The Club conducted its first Valentine Dinner Dance, a major fundraiser allowing the Club to support a broad variety of charitable purposes within the community.

2005
In celebration of Rotary International’s centennial, The Rotary Club of Jacksonville donated $100,000 to the Morgan County Historical Society for restoration of the property that was formerly the Jacksonville Post Office and will serve as a future museum for the community.

The Interact Club was established at Jacksonville High School.

2007
The 100-year anniversary of the Big Eli Ferris Wheel No.17 was celebrated in Community Park.

2008
Jacksonville was visited by Rotary International President Wilfred J. Wilkinson on the occasion of its 90th birthday.

2010
The Rotary Club of Jacksonville established the Jacksonville Rotary Foundation to support the Club’s charitable work.

Helen Downey, Larry Kuster, and Mike Schneider were the founding, pro tem officers and directors. The first full board after incorporation consisted of Keith Lape as President, Mike Schneider as Vice President, Diana Olinger as Secretary, Kevin Heitz as Treasurer, and Fred Osburn as an additional director.

2011
The Rotary Club of Jacksonville began conducting an annual Oktoberfest, a major fundraiser allowing the Club to support a broad variety of charitable purposes within the community.

2013
The Rotary Club of Jacksonville established a scholarship program and awarded its first scholarships for college-bound students.

Franklin Elementary School was closed and The Rotary Club of Jacksonville entered a Business Education Partnership with South Elementary School in South Jacksonville.

2014
The Rotary Club of Jacksonville sponsored the establishment of the Illinois College Rotaract Club.

2016
Jacksonville Rotarian Keith Lape received the received the Rotary International Citation for Meritorious Service in recognition of his exemplary service to the Rotary Foundation.

2018
The Club celebrated its Centennial by undertaking a $100,000+ project to replace the sign and construct the Rotary Patio at the Morgan County Fairgrounds. The featured speaker at the Centennial banquet is Mark Maloney, 2019-20 Rotary International President.

2021
Club member Ryan Byers is elected District Governor of Rotary District 6460

Read about The Rotary Club of Jacksonville 100th Anniversary:
Tab insert from the Jacksonville Journal-Courier, March 16, 2018
Program from the Centennial Dinner, March 17, 2018

Articles from the Jacksonville Journal Courier during our history:

Rammelkamp presents at Rotary about 10 month trip abroad and Rotary – October 11, 1930

Rotary volleyball team-  March 15 1931

Hollywood man talks TV at Rotary – April 18, 1936

Nazi High Command condemns Rotary – August 25, 1937

Brown’s Business College – August 29, 1937

The Club was It was originally chartered as Club Number 396 and is now Number 3227.
The Charter Members were:
H. M. Andre
F. J. Andrews
F. J. Blackburn
Frank H. Bode
Edward A Brennan
Frank Byrns
H. L. Caldwell
T. W. Callihan
Harry M. Capps
Edgar E. Crabtree
William D. Doying
William L. Fay
J. S. Findley
Louis Frank
Henry Frisch
H. H. Gray
John S. Hackett
Joseph R. Harker
Frank J. Heinl
Myron L. Pontius
Leroy T. Potter
Charles Rammelkamp
T. M. Romlinson
Frank J. Waddell
J. W. Walton

The first officers were:
President: Frank Waddell
Vice President:  W. L. Fay
Secretary: Frank Heinl
Treasurer: L. T. Potter

Presidents of The Rotary Club of Jacksonville have been:
1918 – Frank Waddell
1919 – Harry Capps
1920 – Myron Pontius
1921 – Vince Riley
1922 – Will Walton
1923 – Albert Dollear
1924 – Bob Wooston
1925 – Earl Spink
1926 – Harry Andre
1927 – Sam Clark
1928 – C.P McClelland
1929 – Albert Dollear
1930 – Albert Dollear
1931 – Charlie Ator
1932 – Charlie Ator
1933 – Dick Rowe
1934 – Ray Gruny
1935 – Earl Spink
1936 – Bill Randall
1937 – Jack Dial
1938 – Eli Black
1939 – Earle Miller
1940 – J. T. Hackett
1941 – Jim Dunlap
1942 – W. McCreery
1943 – W. H. Pankhurst
1944 – C. C. Birr
1945 – Tom Cornish
1946 – Sam Baker
1947 – Walt Bellatti
1948 – H. L. Caldwell
1949 – Crit Haneline
1950 – Bob Hartman
1951 – Yorker Smith
1952 – Hank Dollear
1953 – B. Holkenbrink
1954 – Bob Caldwell
1955 – Elmer Lukeman
1956 – Floyd Cox
1957 – Ed Garlich
1958 – D. L. Hardin
1959 – Ray Miller
1960 – D. Fahnestork
1961 – Jim Bunting
1962 – Jim Coultas
1963 – H. Crabtree
1964 – Robert Spink
1965 – C. W. Dix
1966 – Richard Simmons
1967 – B. O. Roodhouse
1968 – C. P. Runkel
1969 – Richard Brown
1970 – Iver Yeager
1971 – Cliff Crone
1972 – Jim Atherton
1973 – Vern Fernandes
1974 – Wolf Fuhrig
1975 – J. R. Fairfield
1976 – J. J. Brix
1977 – Jim Churchill
1978 – Ed Ecker
1979 – Tom Stevens
1980 – Robert E. McKinney
1981 – John C. Bomke
1982 – Glenn Bickel
1983 – John E. Urbance
1984 – Gerald A. Raymond
1985 – David Osburne
1986 – Thomas Young
1987 – Fred Osburn
1988 – Ron Tendick
1989 – Jesse P. Chapman, III
1990 – Jeffrey B. Coultas
1991 – Roy E. Gogel
1992 – Timothy E. Rupel
1993 – R. Jean Cummins (Jumper)
1994 – Robert E. Linde
1995 – Wallace Jamison
1996 – Loren Cline
1997 – Diana Olinger
1998 – Keith Lape
1999 – Mike Halsne
2000 – Brian Ganz
2001 – Bob Leach
2002 – Fred Clinton
2003 – John Power
2004 – Kurt Gwillim
2005 – Trent Cain
2006 – Kevin Heitz
2007 – Mike Schneider
2008 – Rick Mogler
2009 – Helen Downey
2010 – Noel Beard
2011 – Lori Hartz
2012 – Tony Williams
2013 – Ryan Byers
2014 – Melissa Pantier
2015 – Todd Evans
2016 – Nancy Thorsen
2017 – Ginny Fanning
2018 – Daphne Spradlin
2019 – Brittany Henry
2020 – Craig Albers
2021 – Cathy Jo Littleton Wahl
2022 – Lisa Kluge
2023 – Daniel Lepper (president-elect)

District Governors from The Rotary Club of Jacksonville have been:
Myron L. Pontius     1925-1925
Albert H. Dollear    1931-1932
Harris Pankhurst    1946-1947
James A. Dunlap    1966-1967
Robert H. Caldwell    1976-1977
Fred W. Osburn    1993-1994
Keith R. Lape        2005-2006
Tony Williams        2016-2017
Ryan Byers    2021-2022

Club Photos