Submitted by: Susan Moffat-Thomas, board member Rotary Club of New Bern
On December 10, 2022, the Rotary Club of New Bern entered its 102nd year of being a part of a worldwide organization that began in 1905 when Chicago lawyer Paul Percival Harris, invited four men to meet on a weekly basis, to create a professional club that would recapture the same friendly spirit he felt living in the small towns of his youth.
As they rotated meetings, the group continued to grow, so they officially adopted the name Rotary and began pooling their resources and contributing their talents to help serve communities in need. The first motto Service Not Self was adopted, and in 1922, Rotary International was established and Paul Harris was the first RI president.
In New Bern, Harry Jacobs, Sr. presided as the temporary chairman at a July 20, 1920 meeting attended by 11 leading citizens. As recorded in the original minutes, “Will Broadfoot, a member of the Wilson Rotary Club explained thoroughly, the object and workings of the character of a Rotary Club.” Harry Jacobs, again presided at a September 27 meeting, attended by eight community leaders for the purpose of “perfecting the organization of the New Bern Rotary Club.” On motion, it was agreed unanimously to affiliate with the International Association of Rotary Clubs. On October 12, at the third meeting, held in the Gaston Hotel, with a total membership of 18, it was unanimously agreed to affect a permanent organization and adopt the standard constitution of the International Association of Rotary and apply to the international Association for affiliation. On December 11, 1920, across the very top of the page of the December 11 issue of The Morning New Bernian, in large bold letters it read, We are glad you came ROTARIANS – Come Again. The headline of a lengthy two column article read, — New Bern Rotary Club Given Rousing Send-Off by Visiting Brothers at Splendid Fete.
The sub headline stated … Buck Perrin Delivers Coveted Charter to Club At Banquet.
In the lengthy article, Buck Perrin is quoted as saying “the spirit of Rotary is friendship and fellowship: sober work and healthy play!” Again, quoting from the newspaper article, “when the meeting was called to order, Sam Brown, Secretary, treasurer, allowed himself to be boosted to a chair where all might look on him who should have the distinguished honor and high privilege of introducing Buck Perrin of Spartanburg, SC, 7th District Governor. Prolonged applause and cheers of 90 “dyed in the wool and a yard wide Rotarians greeted Buck.” In his short address, words of encouragement and a hope for the success of the youngest club – # 786, were fired at 24 tense New Bernians.”
Just think about it, the Rotary Club of New Bern is enjoying fellowship with fellow Rotarians, 102 years later. And, at our annual holiday celebration on December 9, 2022, the minutes of that get-together, just like the December 10, 1920 meeting, also recorded, “a delightful banquet was served, speeches were made and musical numbers were presented.”
Thanks to this original group of 11 forward thinking individuals, the common denominators for the men and women in the Rotary Club of New Bern is pretty much the same … it has to do with an instinctive desire to participate and give of themselves to serve others, and it isn’t really more complicated than that.
Rotarians in this century old club have used their passion, energy, and intelligence to raise untold millions of dollars to participate in community projects and projects that better the world, from literacy and peace, to water and health and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through our fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.
In the words of Paul Percival Harris, “the foundation upon which Rotary is built, is friendship; on no less firm foundation could it have stood.”