Reflecting on our past to inform our future…Wilsonville Rotary president Laura LaJoie Bishop
The change of seasons is a great time to reflect on the recent successes of the Rotary Club of Wilsonville. It’s also time to give a huge “thank you” to the people of Wilsonville for your support of the Wilsonville Rotary Summer Concerts, and the continuing success of Through a Child’s Eyes summer family event at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility.
Before we look ahead to another busy year of volunteer efforts that benefit Wilsonville, I would like to look back at some of our Club’s milestones to remind us all how far we have come as a group dedicated to a common cause. Here are just a few of our Club’s historical markers:
- 1975 — Founding of the Rotary Club of Wilsonville
- 1982 — Frank Lockyear, founder of ReTree International, is named by the club as the first Wilsonville Citizen of the Year. This award was later renamed the Wilsonville First Citizen award and is still given today.
- 1985 — Linda Smith is inducted as first woman member of the club
- 1985 — Creation of Paul Harris Squares, a unique fund raising method within the club to make international giving quick, easy and more effective. Proceeds benefit international projects as well as local projects.
- 1994 — The club started its signature omelet and pancake breakfasts, raising funds in partnership with local parent-teacher groups and other organizations. This program is still going strong and holds 4–6 breakfasts per year.
- 1998 — Reg Keddie serves as the club’s first, and to date only, District Governor
- 1998 — Diana Busboom is the first woman to serve as club president.
- 2002 — The club creates its Heart of Gold Dinner and Auction to serve as its main fundraiser, along with the Wilsonville Rotary Summer Concerts, which serve as thanks to the community for their support of the club and its projects. The pairing of the events was deliberate and was the brainchild of members Phil Yates and Ben Altman.
- 2002 — Through A Child’s Eyes (TACE) is formed as a partnership between the Rotary Club of Wilsonville and the Oregon Department of Corrections. The family bonding event takes place at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, with a goal of rebuilding families and reducing recidivism.
- 2005 — Reinstatement of International Student Exchange program
- 2005 — Dedication of the Rotary Rose Garden at Town Center Park in commemoration of Rotary International’s 100th anniversary.
- 2015 — The Rotary Club of Wilsonville celebrates 40 years of service to the community.
- 2017 — The Wilsonville Rotary Summer Concerts raise a record $12,000 for End Polio Now
We hope to see you all at our upcoming events this fall, winter and spring to help the volunteers of the Rotary Club of Wilsonville raise funds for great causes in Wilsonville!
Dr. Laura LaJoie Bishop
President, Rotary Club of Wilsonville