Club Awards

Dr. Charlie Martin Award ~ Rotarian of the Year
Middle School Speech Contest
Ned March – Bud Purdy Police Award
Wally Abell & Betsy Owens Four Way Test Award
Youth Awards

Club History

The Rotary Club of St. Petersburg, with twenty-five members, sponsored by Tampa Rotary, was chartered on January 3, 1920. William Straub, then editor of the Times, whose original idea it was that St. Petersburg should have a Rotary Club, became the first president. Robert R. Walden was a member of the first Board of Directors. The club is the oldest and the largest civic club in St. Petersburg.

The Rotary Club of St. Petersburg is active in all four of the Rotary Avenues of Service. The story of the good works of the club and of the club members is a continuing one which makes itself felt in some way on the life and progress of someone everyday. To the words “oldest” and “largest” the word “best” can deservedly be added in speaking of this Rotary Club.

Each year the Rotary Club of St. Petersburg remains a strong supporter of the local agencies providing assistance to those in the community. Thanksgiving dinners are purchased and delivered by club members to needy families in the community identified by the Salvation Army. Bicycles are purchased and handed out by Rotarians to children through The Christmas Toy Shop. The club provided financial means for girls from Brookwood (without families) to spend Christmas at Disney. A puppy, sponsored by the club through Southeastern Guide Dogs and being trained by a club member, is destined to become the faithful companion of blind individual. Each year, earning from trust accounts are donated to various local organizations who assist children and families – Swimming lessons for pre-K at PTEC at the YMCA, Brookwood, Children’s Dream Fund, Creative Clay, Rotary’s Camp Florida, CASA, Junior League of St. Petersburg, Camp Redbird, Ebony Scholars, RotoCleft project in Peru.

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Nine Rotary Clubs have been organized by St. Petersburg. They are Clearwater 1924; Sarasota 1926; Gulf Beaches 1950; Pinellas Park 1954; West St. Petersburg 1954; St. Petersburg Gateway 1977; St. Petersburg Suncoast 1978; Countryside 1978; and South Central 1995.

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The Rotary Club of St. Petersburg has received national acclaim for its “Four Square Clubs” project. Started in 1926, these boys’ clubs, organized in the fifth and sixth grades of public schools, modeled after adult civic clubs, served to instill civic responsibility, provide leadership training, and help shape the character of thousands of boys now grown to manhood. The program grew from one club of seventy members to twenty-four clubs, helping over two thousand boys each year, before it was regretfully abandoned in 1961 as not being in keeping with modern educational concepts.
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The Rotary Club of St. Petersburg’s Handicapped Children Committee has been continuously at work on various phases of assistance to, and rehabilitation of, children since 1930. Through 1951 efforts were devoted entirely to the treatment of crippled children, who could not otherwise obtain assistance. In 1952 a gift was made to furnish and equip the Rotary Memorial Library, at the American Legion Crippled Children’s Hospital, without which the hospital could not obtain accreditation. Each year, until the Legion Hospital was phased out, donations were made for library upkeep. When All Children’s Hospital took over child assistance and rehabilitation, St. Petersburg Rotary donated $10,000 to furnish and equip a library there and is continuing its yearly upkeep donations. this is in addition to the committee’s child rehabilitation effort which in recent years has been radically broadened to include orthodontic, plastic surgery and many other kinds of medical assistance. The committee’s work is largely financed by a Handicapped Children’s Day Collection. This is the only time each year when club members are asked to contribute money for a club project. Formerly this work was financed by direct contributions from members and visitors. Currently direct costs are paid with a portion of the income from the Rotary Club of St. Petersburg Trust Fund, and professional members of the club give generously; of their time and skills to do the work. This has made possible a considerable expansion in the work done.

In all, well over $100,000 has been spent of this great humanitarian work – an effort which, if there were no other, would justify the existence of our club. Continuing its tradition of supporting handicapped children, our club authorized a $20,000 donation and committed itself to a $30,000 pledge over the next 3 years to All Children’s Hospital Neonatal Unit. $15,000 was raised in the spring of 1985 through an auction – cocktail party which is named “Celebration for Children.” In the spring of 1986, the remaining $15,000 of the pledge was raised completing the $50,000 contribution pledge. Highly specialized incubators purchased through our funding will enable premature infants the opportunity for life.
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In 1961, the Rotary Club of St. Petersburg Trust Fund was established to receive contributions for charitable purposes. Under bank supervision this fund may receive, hold or expend monies in any amount in accord with the wishes of the donor so long as the purpose or intent is a charitable one. Contributions to the Trust are tax free. In addition to receiving gifts and bequests, the fund is recipient of many memorial contributions.

Beginning in 1953, our club was host each year to a group of students from other countries who were in attendance at Florida State University. The students, as guests in Rotarians homes, were honored at a Rotary dinner and enjoyed a weekend of recreation, sightseeing and fellowship with their hosts. Since the advent of Eckerd College in our community, the entertainment effort has been directed toward students of that school and because of the proximity of that school, the social program has become a more or less year-round one. Through this program, club members and students alike, as they are together, discover that all nations are made up of people who have similar hopes and feelings and desires.

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Interact Clubs have been and are a major project of the Rotary Club of St. Petersburg. Boys groups, modeled after and sponsored by the Rotary Club of St. Petersburg operate in all of our major high schools. These clubs, replacing all similar Wheel Clubs (1956-1961), are an official adjunct of Rotary International functioning as junior Rotary Clubs to give young men and women of high school age a first look at the way civic clubs can and do assume community responsibility. St. Petersburg Interact Clubs have been hosts to an Interact International Convention, to Interact District Conferences and have supplied several Interact District Governors.

When it appeared that the construction of Highway I-75 was being impeded because of a lack of family relocation effort, the Rotary Club of St. Petersburg instigated and financed the St. Petersburg Relocation Assistance Corporation. This cleared a serious obstacle from the path of governmental financing of the project.
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Starting in 1971, under the direction of the club Special Projects and Ways & Means Committees, funds have been raised to make contributions of several thousands of dollars each to local agencies. Included in these are Pinellas Area Retarded Children’s Home, Drug Rehabilitation Center, Police Athletic League, Science Center, Fine Arts Museum, Junior Achievement, Pinellas Special Olympics, Christmas Toy Shop, WEDU and others. Where needed, these contributions of money have been further augmented by hours of work by club members. St. Petersburg was and is known as the “Winter Headquarters of Rotary International. The record number of visitors in one week, 714, occurred in February of 1950.

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Five members of the Rotary Club of St. Petersburg have held the office of Governor, District 696, Rotary International – more than from any other club of the District.

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Every year since 1938, a “Rotary Youth Award” has been given to a senior boy and girl from each of the city’s high schools. Recipients are students adjudged by the school faculty to be the most outstanding in scholarship, character, and service from each student body.

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Under the Ned March Police Award program, initiated by Past President Ned in 1953 and after his demise carried on by the club as a memorial, cash awards are made each year to two members of the St. Petersburg Police Department selected by the department heads. The selection is based on efficiency, alertness, courtesy, outstanding accomplishment and effort in equipping himself or herself for the improved operation of the department.

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The Rotary Club of St. Petersburg Speech Contest, started with four schools in 1961, now includes all of the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students attending our city schools.Students write and deliver talks on an assigned subject. Winners from each school compete for overall winner and runner-up cash prizes plus the opportunity of speaking before the Rotary Club. The contest is becoming a major educational incentive among students.

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Boy Scout Troop No. 350, sponsored and operated by the Rotary Club of St. Petersburg since 1962, was unique in Scouting organizations – its members were all boys who attended Nina Harris School for Exceptional Children – a center for those with learning disabilities.

For most of its members, the troop provided a first experience of being exposed to moral and ethical codes of conduct, and being rewarded because of individual achievement. The scout principles and awards created a feeling of self worth and confidence, provided motivation for further success, and inspired the other members of the troop to try something worthwhile. There were many other positive experiences in Scouting that taught cooperation with others in group efforts and improved their social behavior. Hard work and dedication by the boys, Rotarians and Scout Masters, guided four boys to the attainment of Scouting’s highest honor – Eagle Scout. These presentations were some of our Rotary Club’s proudest moments. Troop membership became so desirable to these boys that it became an incentive to accomplishment in school which resulted in progress from Nina Harris to regular public schools for many of them – a social rehabilitation – not sought, and previously considered unattainable. This major club effort, which helped nearly fifty boys, represented one of the club’s most rewarding projects.

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The Rotary Club of St. Petersburg is a strong supporter of the Rotary Foundation of R.I. Being a large club, it has a large contribution. Since 1956, many young men and women proposed by our club as Rotary Foundation Fellows have been awarded scholarships, each for a year of study in a foreign country. They are known as Rotary Ambassadorial Scholars.

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In 1974, the Rotary Club of St. Petersburg proposed a joint undertaking with four other area Rotary Clubs to raise money for a self-contained bloodmobile for Community Blood Bank. The money was raised through various projects and the Rotary Bloodmobile was purchased in 1976 and is still operating.

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In the 1980s, the Rotary Club of St. Petersburg raised $100,000 for All Children’s Hospital, Straight, Inc., The Angelus House and the YMCA. In the 1990s, the Rotary Club of St. Petersburg continued to raise money for many charities and win awards.

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In 2000, the Rotary Club of St. Petersburg raised $28, 200 for the Pier Aquarium’s “Education Station”. The Rotary Wheel is prominently displayed.

In 2001, the Rotary Club of St. Petersburg, through their annual fundraiser, donated $50,000 to the YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg. The Rotary Wheel will be permanently displayed on the gymnasium floor in the new facility. International Project undertaken with Wheelchairs for the World Foundation to provide 240 wheelchairs in Mexico.

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The club remains a strong supporter of The Rotary Foundation through the PolioPlus Eradication Campaign, Paul Harris Fellowships and Every Rotarian Every Year (EREY). In 2002, an international project was undertaken with the Wheelchairs for the World Foundation providing 240 wheelchairs to disabled adults and children in Mexico. In 2003, the club continued international support to assist in funding for wells for drinking water in Guatemala.

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The Rotary Club of St. Petersburg remained strong in commitment to provide hope and assistance to those less fortunate. In 2004, the club raised over $11,000 to purchase and deliver much needed supplies to the Arcadia, Florida area after two hurricanes devastated the area. Again in 2005, club members donated over $3,800 through District 6950 efforts to provide help to those affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in Louisiana and Mississippi.