Zelienople Rotary Club reflects on its legacy in the community at centenary event
CONNOQUENESSING TWP — The Rotary Club of Zelienople has for a century allowed businesses and professional leaders to come together to provide support throughout the community.
Since the club was established in 1924, it has engaged in the community by helping with fundraising events, hosting student exchange services, offering scholarships, hosting a Fourth of July parade, supplying dictionaries to grade school children and providing humanitarian efforts wherever the need arises.
“Most of the good parts of the community are either put on by or supported by community service organizations like the Rotary,” said Rich Gigliotti, Zelienople club president.
On Saturday, Feb. 17, the club celebrated its centenary with an event at The Stables at Connoquenessing. The black-tie event featured prominent members of the community and Rotary district leadership to celebrate the history of the charitable club. The evening included a performance from the Seneca Valley Madrigal Singers, raffle giveaways and recognition of prominent members of the club.
Patrick Eakes, Rotary zone director from North Carolina, was the key speaker for the evening’s events. He said he was honored to be part of the 100-year celebration.
“Reaching your 100th anniversary is no small achievement,” Eakes said. “There are lots of challenges that come up along the way, many of which you can’t control … It’s truly impressive that you have gotten here.”
Rotary was born in Chicago in 1905, when an attorney named Paul Harris formed the Rotary Club of Chicago. The Butler Rotary club sponsored the Zelienople Rotary Club on Feb. 19, 1924, by founding members James Marshall and Charles Passavant III.
David “Skip” Kennedy has been a member of the Zelienople club for 57 years. His grandfather was one of the initial members of the local club, so he was able to reflect on how much the club has meant to him and the community.
“One of the things we used to do every year was go to the children’s home and had a big picnic with the kids,” Kennedy said. “After that, we went out to play ball with them. It was about togetherness. Rotatory Club is such a joy, where you really want to get involved.”
The Zelienople Rotary’s first president Charles W. White was superintendent of the Orphans’ Home and Farm School — now Glade Run Lutheran Services — where the club meets today.
Eakes’ speech touched on the history of the club and on how things have changed for the organization over the years.
Eakes praised the club for its “forward-thinking” in 1924.
“In 1924, within 90 days of your club’s inception, the club hosted a ladies night for the wives as well,” Eakes said. “I think that’s probably pretty forward-thinking in 1924; that’s innovation for the time period.”
He also praised the club for its inclusiveness and teamwork with other clubs in the area.
“When you were 25 years old, the Lions Club was formed here,” Eakes said of the Zelienople Lion’s Club. “Now, you could have seen them as the enemy, you could have seen them as a threat or completion, but instead you partnered with them.”
The club was also praised for its Shamrock Shuffle, an annual fundraising race held every March.
“Now, I got to tell you I’m not a runner; I haven’t been a runner for a long time,” Eakes said, “but I could probably start running knowing that they’re Jell-O shots waiting for me.”
Mary Hess, Zelienople council president, said she has always been a supporter of the Rotary Club, and was honored to be involved with such an “amazing organization.”
“The Rotary Club is exceptionally important to the community,” Hess said. “It’s a worldwide organization and they do things all across the world, and it’s amazing what they do and how much the give back to so many people in need.”
