Rotary comes to Hawaii
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- Category: Welcome!
- Published on Sunday, 09 January 2011 16:41
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Our History
Rotary International admitted The Rotary Club of Kaua'i on August 23, 1937 as club number 4378. John Caldwell, Secretary of the Rotary Club of Honolulu, along with fellow members, Wayne Stewart and Charles Loomis teamed in the organization of this Club. The Charter president was W.P. Alexander. This was the fourth Rotary Club to be formed in the State of Hawaii. Today, it is the oldest of the six Rotary Clubs on Kaua'i. It has been given credit for chartering the other clubs on this very lush and beautiful island – the Garden Isle, Kaua'i.
Like the coconut and other good things that came to Hawaii from the sea and thrived, Rotary came to Hawaii in 1915 by Shipboard, the Lurline. It all started with a social acquaintance between V.O. Lawrence, a member of the number 3 Rotary Club of Oakland, California and James L. Coke, later Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Territory of Hawaii. As they sailed together from San Francisco to Hawaii, they talked about Rotary and organizing a Rotary Club in Hawaii.
Upon arrival in Honolulu, Justice Coke invited a number of Local Professional and Businessmen to meet with Lawrence and himself at the old Commercial Club. After Lawrence had explained the objectives of Rotary, the group decided to organize the Rotary Club of Honolulu. The charter was dated July 1, 1915; just ten years after Paul Harris started the Rotary movement. The Honolulu Club received its charter with 28 Charter Members and the distinction of being the 170th club admitted into Rotary, which then had a membership of 20,000 members.
Rotarians believed the Territory of Hawaii was qualified for organization as a separate district. Up to that time we were part of California District 104. At it’s January 1938 Board Meeting, Rotary International approved the split of District 104 with all the clubs in Hawaii united in new District 100 and California remaining in 104. Wayne Steward, Past President of the Rotary Club of Honolulu was our first District Governor. Rotary in Hawaii became of age, with only five clubs and 231 members. In 1950, District 100 was re-designated 150 and again changed to District 500 in 1957. The most recent number change took place in 1991, when we were designated District 5000.
The most significant event of Rotary in Hawaii was the hosting of the 60th International Rotary Convention ion in May 1969. It was a colossal undertaking, involving hundreds of members from all the clubs in the District. It was the second largest Rotary Convention held in the United States, attracting 66 countries and 14,684 attendees. Kiyoshi Togasaki of Japan was the President of Rotary International at the time.
Morley Theaker of the Honolulu Club developed and vigorously pushed the idea that Hawaii could really take on the convention. After securing the support of local Rotarians, Morley personally took the official invitation to Rotary International Headquarters where he met with Carl Miller, the President of Rotary International who was instrumental in persuading the Board to settle on Honolulu. Carl Miller later moved to Hawaii and became an active member of the Rotary Club of Honolulu and shared the fellowship of Rotary with many District 5000 Rotarians.
The Rotarians in District 5000 are very proud of their accomplishments. The Club leaders of yesteryear have left their legacy and challenge to every Rotarian and newly elected club leader each year to continue to make Rotary the meaningful and living entity that it is in Hawaii and everywhere.