On the evening of January 19,1925, a group of Sand Springs men met in the basement of the Community Presbyterian Church, 4th and Main, to plan the organization of a Rotary Club in Sand Springs. The growing Tulsa Club, acting in the capacity of "big brother", sent several of its men to the thriving industrial community of Sand Springs to assist in the organization. Ed Monsell, Bob Gibbs, and Charles Hubbard were appointed a committee to recommend a constitution and by-laws. O. L. Stewart became the first president and Charles Parker the first secretary. Ed Monsell was chosen vice-president and Nat White treasurer. Charles Hubbard, Frank Lannon, and Ed Craig were the first directors.
The following twenty men were charter members: Cliff Bobbitt, Joe Burke, Ed Craig, Ely Everett, Burt Frye, Bob Gibbs, W. B. (Dad) Hixson, Len Hohl, Jake Hollyman, Charles Hubbard, Frank Lannon, Jr., Ed Monsell, Charles Parker, Frank Pauly, O. L. Stewart, Sam (Doc) Strader, Burt Sutton, Ray Trimble, Sr., Nat White, and George B. Wilson, all prominent business and professional leaders in the Sand Springs area. From the beginning, weekly luncheons have been held Friday noon, first at the Community Presbyterian Church, then Ward's Cafeteria, later at Four Coin Restaurant and recently at the Plaza Community Center with lunch catered.
Promptly after organizing, the Sand Springs Rotary Club elected operating committees and searched for methods of promoting the object of Rotary in the Sand Springs area. Working within the four service areas of Rotary, club service became the first active area with the newly formed club. Later, in August of 1929, the student loan and scholarship fund came into being with the grand sum of $500.00, which in those days was a significant amount. The student loan fund was a significant contributor to the education of a number of needy Sand Springs area boys and girls over the years until student loans became readily available through other programs. The student loan fund was also used to finance the acquisition of livestock for 4-H and FFA boys and girls for those programs of self-development. In 2002-2003, the Sand Springs Rotary Club provided four (4) Scholarships for those they deemed worthy recipients from Charles Page High School. Those students each received $1,000.00 toward their college or vocational higher education.
Rotary membership in Sand Springs continued to grow and by 1930 there were 45 members in various Rotary classifications. Club service was promoted through interesting and educational assembly and fireside chats provided by the older members for newcomers. Vocational service was encouraged through the presentation of short plays and committee operation. Club membership continued to grow until the depression of the early '30;s.
Economic and personal problems created by the depression reduced the membership of the Sand Springs Rotary Club through loss of classification and job resignation. Those Rotarians remaining during this period devoted their attention almost entirely to the problems of the community and doing community service. The Sand Springs Welfare Association, now Sand Springs Community Services, had been started by the Sand Springs Woman's Club in 1929 to provide for needy persons in the area and Sand Springs Rotary joined in providing help for them in their efforts. During the administration of local Rotary President Clarence McKay, 1932-33, some 400 pairs of shoes were donated to the Sand Springs Welfare Association for distribution to the needy. Those shoes were purchased with $300.00 which was contributed by Rotarians, along with money from the general fund of the Rotary Club. Through the difficult years of the '30;s, Sand Springs Rotary continued to work through the Sand Springs Welfare Association to provide for the needs of citizens in the community with contributions for food baskets. At Christmas time for a number of years, Rotarians brought wrapped gifts to meetings to be distributed by the Association to needy children during the holiday season. During the Rotary presidency of Erwin D. Phillips, 1971-72, a Christmas bean luncheon was held with food prepared by the Welfare Association employees and volunteers. All the funds were donated to the Christmas food basket and gift program of the Sand Springs Community Services. The Christmas "Bean Party" continues to this day and last year more than $6,388.00 was raised. Other community service projects provided through Sand Springs Rotary include a Fundraiser for the Salvation Army in November, which nets about $2,000, a canned food and toy drive that brings in over 800 pounds of food and 70 toys for the Sand Springs Community Services, buying Christmas Gifts for needy families at the Sand Springs Home Family Villas, providing scholarships for students for the Salvation Army summer athletic program, conducting "Be Wise Immunize" vaccinations, ringing the bell for the Salvation Army, contributions to the Red Cross, Salvation Army, Boy Scouts, Rotary Youth Leadership Academy, Life Line, Operation Aware, Limestone School reading program, Tulsa Boys Home, Senior Celebration, Relay for Life, Sertoma Club Fireworks Display, Salvation Army Disaster Unit, raising $6,600 for warmup suits for Sand Springs Special Olympians, collecting money for blankets for Afghanistan, and initiating a mentoring program at Central Elementary School. Other fundraisers include an annual Golf Tournament, an annual Chili Cookoff, and an annual 5-K Run which help provide the funds for the many community service projects that Rotary in Sand Springs supports.
Through student loans and scholarships and special efforts such as the donation to the Boy Scouts of America of six canoes with full equipment and towing trailer during the administrations in 1976-77, 1985-86 and 1994-95, and Mountain Bikes in 1996-97, work with youth in the Sand Springs area has been highlighted, as it has been during the entire 75 years of Rotary in Sand Springs. For many years, Superintendent of Sand Springs Schools, Clyde (Pop) Boyd, brought outstanding students each week as his guests to the Rotary meetings and until 1975, the new teachers in the Sand Springs Public School system were guests at a luncheon in order that Rotarians and the educators might become better acquainted. From the inception of the club in 1925, the work of the Crippled Children's Committee was an outstanding community service. Children with severe problems were provided with treatment in the Oklahoma City Hospital or in Doctor Sisler's Hospital in Tulsa, where the treatment of crippled children was a specialty. Many Sand Springs area children had their lives beneficially changed through the correction of club feet and other deformities. Working with International Service became a growing concern of the Sand Springs Rotary Club and in 1947 Sand Springs Rotary Club commenced a continuing effort with its contributions and work with Rotary Foundation, and later with the Health, Hunger and Humanity Program of Rotary International. Sand Springs Rotary Club is now honored to have among its members, spouses, and other relatives many Paul Harris Fellows. Each year the list continues to grow. Our club initiated a program in 1977-78, of contributing through club and individual members, the $1,000.00 or more each year necessary to the Rotary Foundation to provide a Paul Harris Fellowship for a local member. Our club has 71 Paul Harris Fellows.
Sand Springs Rotary has, over the past several years, hosted visiting groups of young adults from other areas of the world through the Rotary Foundation Group Study Exchange. These groups have come from Denmark, India, England, New Zealand, Australia, Chile, France and Finland. Sand Springs Rotary Club has also participated in the American Field Service Foreign Student Exchange hosting students from other countries attending Charles Page High School. Sand Springs Rotarian, the late Mike Pedrick, past local Club President and past Rotary District Governor, had served on a number of Rotary International Committees and was a former director of the Rotary International Foundation. Sand Springs Rotarian George Paden is also a past Club President and a past Rotary District Governor. Sand Springs Rotary Club is honored by the achievements of Mike Pedrick and George Paden and the awards and honors received by them as reflecting upon the Sand Springs Rotary Club.
A more recent activity in International Service by Sand Springs Rotarians was the participation in the Health, Hunger and Humanity Program, instituted by Rotary International in the last few years. From the inception of this program, which deals with the problems of needy people of the world, the Sand Springs Rotary Club has participated to the fullest extent through contributions and programs of information. The Health, Hunger and Humanity Program to date has provided medicines and vaccines for millions of children in Costa Rica, the Philippines, the refugee camps of Southeast Asia and many other Third World countries. Sand Springs Rotary, under the leadership of Harlan Pinkerton, Jr. has contributed a portion of the 500 million Polio Plus dollars raised by Rotarians to eradicate polio from 150 countries of the world. Rotary has innoculated over two billion children over the world against this dreaded disease. Health, Hunger and Humanity has been incorporated into the total program of the Rotary Foundation, assuring its continued positive contributions to World understanding and peace.
Sand Springs Rotary continues to grow and to prosper with an active and interested membership and today boasts over 130 members. In 1987, Sand Springs Rotary opened its doors to women and today its ranks are filled with a good cross-section of men and women of all ages, experiences, backgrounds, and abilities working together toward common goals and projects. Rotarians are well respected individuals within this community and are known for being able to get a job done. They continue to touch the lives of old and young alike. This particular club is known throughout District #6110 for its outstanding fellowship, close camaraderie, and warm welcome of visitors who attend its regular Friday noon luncheon meetings. Truly, Rotary and its wonderful spirit of service and friendship is alive and well in Sand Springs.
Most of this brief information on Sand Springs Rotary Club and its history of Rotary service, was prepared by Erwin D. Phillips of the Historical Committee of the Sand Springs Club for 2003-2004, the ninety-eighth anniversary of Rotary in the world.
SAND SPRINGS ROTARY CLUB
ORGANIZED JANUARY 19, 1925
CHARTER GRANTED BY ROTARY INTERNATIONAL FEBRUARY 3, 1925
CHARTER MEMBERS
Name Classification
C. T. (Cliff) Bobbitt Filling Service Station
J. P. (Joe) Burke Automobile Retailing
Edwin A. (Ed) Craig Petroleum Producing
E. E. (Ely) Everett Newspaper Publishing
Thomas B. (Burt) Frye Garage and Service
Robert W. (Bob) Gibbs General Law Practice
Walter B. (Dad) Hixson Groceries Retailing
Leonard B. (Len) Hohl Women's Clothing Retailing
Jonathan C. (Jake) Hollyman Protestant Church
C. H. (Charles H.) Hubbard Fruit Jar Manufacturing
Franklin P. (Frank) Lannon, Jr. Zinc Smelting
E. M. (Ed) Monsell Charitable Homes
F. R. (Frank) Pauly Educational Public Schools
Charles B. Parker Building and Loan
O. L. Stewart Banking
Samuel A. (Doc) Strader Drugs Retailing
Burt Sutton Hardware Retailing
A. R. (Ray) Trimble Dentistry
Nat D. White Household Furniture Retailing
George B. Wilson Lumber Retailing
PAST PRESIDENTS OF SAND SPRINGS ROTARY CLUB
Year President Classification
1925-26 O. L. (Ollie) Stewart Banking
1926-27 Fred S. Halm Physician
1927-28 E. M. (Ed) Monsell Charitable Homes
1928-29 J. P. (Joe) Burke Automobiles Retail
1929-30 George B. Wilson Lumber Retail
1930-31 C. H. (Charles) Hubbard Fruit Jar Manufacturing
1931-32 Ed S. Wolff Electric Power and Light
1932-33 Clarence McKay Oil Refining
1933-34 R. N. (Dick) Hoerner Corrugated Box Manufacturing
1934-35 A. R. (Ray) Trimble,Sr. Dentistry
1935-36 Harrison Young Natural Gas Distributing
1936-37 Charles R. Parker Building and Loan
1937-38 Wallace (Wally) Smiley Lighting Fixtures Manufacturing
1938-39 Gus Weekly Metal Smelting and Refining
1939-40 H. B. (Rusty) Dowell Cotton Mill
1940-41 E. E. (Tom) Mansfield Electric Light and Power
1941-42 Paul P. Pinkerton Charitable Homes
1942-43 Harley Aitkin Glass Jar Distributing
1943-44 George Way Steel Mill
1944-45 Victor (Vic) Hulett Business Promotion
1945-46 T. H. (Ted) Steffens Railroad Transportation
1946-47 Harold Aitkin Metal Smelting and Refining
1947-48 Clyde (Pop) Boyd Education, Administration
1948-49 Phil Smith Real Estate Sales
1949-50 Sam Gavril Bedding Manufacturing
1950-51 Ura B. Crewson Glass Jar Distributing
1951-52 Clarence Lawless Instrumental Music
1952-53 C. C. (Clint) Evans Postal Service
1953-54 George E. M. Campbell General Law
1954-55 Harlan S. Pinkerton, Sr. Casualty Insurance
1955-56 Luther Roberts Electric Light and Power
1956-57 Mike Pedrick Animal Foods
1957-58 Ray Miltz Stock Yards
1958-59 A. R. (Ray) Trimble, Jr. Dentistry
1959-60 Bert Sutton Education, Attendance
1960-61 Clyde Browers Education, Vocational/Agriculture
1961-62 H. C. Jones Banking
1962-63 Dennis C. Gilliam Lumber Retail
1963-64 Tot Brown Life Insurance
1964-65 N. B. Lasater Commercial Gas Manufacturing
1965-66 Homer C. (Zenie) Goatcher Radio Service
1966-67 Dan Brown Animal Foods Distributing
1967-68 Ed E. Everett Magazine Publication
1968-69 Marshall Perry Liquid Gas Retail
1969-70 W. L. (Wink) Burcham Steel Bar Manufacturing
1970-71 Ed Zickefoose Animal Foods
1971-72 Erwin D. Phillips Charitable Homes
1972-73 A. Lyle Crowder Savings and Loan
1973-74* James Borren Hospital Administration
1974-75 Charles Hill Electric Light and Power
1975-76 Bob Ray Metal Smelting and Refining
1976-77 Herb Finnell Corrugated Box Manufacturing
1977-78* Herschell Daney Mental Retardation Rehabilitation
1978-79 Wendell Sharpton Education, Administration
1979-80* David A. Stone Land Development
1980-81 Robert (Bob) Van House Methodist Pastor
1981-82* George Paden Education, Secondary Schools
1982-83* Tom Gilbert Casualty Insurance
1983-84 Lee Rand Smith Special Education
1984-85 Dale Morrow Building Materials Retail
1985-86 Dick McClure Office Supply, Retail
1986-87* Ed Dubie Corrugated Packing Industry Engineer
1987-88* Mark Manahan Optometry
1988-89 Bill Brown Charitable Home Trustee
1989-90 Glen Richards Banking-Administration
1990-91* Phil Niles Senior Active
1991-92 Mike Snyder Natural Gas Distribution
1992-93* Tom Cobb Civil Engineering
1993-94 Floyd Davis Investments Counseling
1994-95* Mary Sue Overbey Governmental Finance
1995-96* Larry Clenney Telephone Service
1996-97d David Mick Insurance
1997-98* Al Dodson, Jr. Funeral Director
1998-99* Kenny Tate Real Estate
1999-00 Cindy Burks Loan & Investments
2000-01* Romme Pate Tax Accounting
2001-02* Joe Stephenson Gas Distribution Wholesale
2002-03 Loyd Nixon Investments General
2003-04* Donna McLain
2004-05* Harlan S. Pinkerton, Jr.
2005-06* Jeff Smith
2006-07* David Allen
2007-08* Clay Langley
2008-09* David Phillips
2009-10* Howard Pidcock
* = Current Members
