In 1926, Vero Beach was a small Florida boom town of 2,300 people who had the vision and determination to seek their fortune here despite hordes of mosquitoes and oppressive heat. It was complete with a rickety bridge across the Indian River and twenty odd trains a day on the F.E.C. Railroad. In the optimistic atmosphere of the time a new Rotary Club was formed. This Club has survived the collapse of the real estate boom in Florida, a national depression and a world war.

It was late 1925 that preliminary talks about organizing a Rotary Club took place between Fred D. Bacon, a newly-arrived insurance man and the Community Church Pastor Dr. C. H. Pettibone. Early the next year meetings began on an informal basis and on May 28, 1926 the announcement was made that approval had been obtained for the new club. Nearly 100 people were on hand on the evening of June 9th, 1926 for a gala dinner at the Royal Park Inn for the presentation of the charter, number 2377, by H. E. Robinson special representative of the sponsoring West Palm Beach Rotary Club.

The 19 Charter Members were: Dr. C. H. Pettibone - minister, Arthur Fleck - architect, Lawrence Newman - builder, Tom E. Jun - grocer, Don Keffer - druggist, Joe Cox - office supplies, Al Boyer - plumber, John Schumann - newspaper publisher, Todd Reynolds - advertising, R. A. Gassman - variety retailing, Bruce Bazier - real estate, T. W. Radinsky - electrician, John Corsa, Sr. - citrus grower, C. V. Williamson - musician, C. E. Cobb - farmer, Haskel Lebos - clothing, F. C. Doeschner - hotel, E. G. Thatcher - chamber of commerce, Fred D. Bacon - insurance. The last living charter member, J. J. Schumann, passed away in October of 1989.

The members of the early Club took the attendance requirement very seriously. Tom Radinsky and Tom Jun completed 1,000 weeks of perfect attendance in 1945 and celebrated the Silver Anniversary of Rotary in Vero Beach with 25 years of unbroken attendance. Among others with outstanding attendance records are Charles Jewett who attended for 43 years without missing a meeting, and Ralph Sedgwick did not miss a meeting from the time he joined the club in 1932 until his death in 1984 . . . more than 52 years of perfect attendance. In fact, Ralph had better than perfect attendance. Anticipating a trip to Jacksonville on Children's Home Society business he made up in advance for the Friday meeting that took place following his death. Current record holder in Vero Beach is Wes Carroll, who also has 52 years' perfect attendance.

In its first year this Club recorded eight consecutive weeks of 100 percent attendance. In October, 1930 the Club won second place for attendance in all of Rotary International. Attendance for January, 1935 averaged over 98 percent. In 1942, Vero Beach won second prize in the attendance contest at the R. I. convention in Toronto.

The Club first met at the Royal Park Inn, a new and elegant landmark of the town. In the years that have followed, its 3,300 - odd meetings have been held in a number of locations, the second being the Community Church. Here the luncheon tab was 50¢ and the women of the church prepared and served the meals. Later high school students were given time off to come and serve the luncheon which the women prepared. In 1932, in the depths of the great depression, times were hard for the Club and its members. The Club was unable to meet it's semi-annual international assessment and had to request an extension of time. The dues were also reduced to $1.00 a quarter. In 1936, the price of the Rotary luncheon skyrocketed to 60¢. In 1980, the tab was $5.00 at the Sheraton Regency. By 1989, the tab had reached $9.00 at the Vero Beach Inn, formerly Sheraton Regency.

The old Community Church was a handsome Spanish-style building, but it has been replaced by a more modern sanctuary. Similarly, the Royal Park Inn, which was also the scene of meetings in the 60's, and also a very handsome building, has been replaced by the modern Royal Park Condominium.

Other meeting places have included Mac's Kitchen, the Windswept Hotel (at the present location of the Holiday Inn Oceanside), the Parkway Hotel (now Old Court Square), Vero Beach Women's Club, Masonic Lodge where Rotarian and former restaurateur Ralph Galvin supervised the meal preparation, the Del Mar Hotel dining room (now a parking lot west of Indian River Federal), Riviera Restaurant. The Hut (now Bahama Joe's), Holiday Inn Oceanside, Ocean Grill, Vero Beach Yacht Club, Ramada Inn, the Cervantes dining room at the Driftwood, the Sheraton Regency Hotel, Holiday Inn Oceanside again, then back to the Vero Beach Inn whose name had been changed from Sheraton Regency.

Here follows an outline of 63 years of service to Vero Beach by your Rotary Club:

• One of the Club's first official acts was to join with other local organizations in contributing to a relief fund for sufferers in the flooded Mississippi Valley.
• In 1928, the Club helped with the formation of a junior baseball league, and the following year began many years of active work with the Boy Scouts when Troop 50 was organized under Rotary sponsorship and leadership.
• During the 1930's, those attending Rotary Christmas parties brought gifts to be distributed to needy families. A vocational library for Vero Beach High was established by the Club in 1937.
• Two years later the Student Loan Fund was adopted by Vero Beach Rotary. This revolving loan fund helped numerous college students over a period of many years.
• In 1941, a continuing vocational service program was started, with many Club members speaking at the high school to acquaint students with vocations. Essays on vocations were prepared by students and the best essays won cash prizes for their authors. The winners were guests of the Club during a luncheon meeting.
• During the Second World War, Rotarians helped with the blood bank and war bond drives. Up to April 30, 1943, Vero Beach Rotary had sold $65,150 worth of war bonds, double the Club's quota.
• Sponsorship of a vision correction program for under-privileged children was adopted in 1947. Funds for this and other projects were provided largely by the Club's first annual minstrel show. By 1949, the third annual minstrel show netted $1,100.
• When Rotarian Prescott Gardner offered to donate half the cost of a new Youth Center Building if the community would raise the other half, Rotary led the way in a successful fund campaign. The building was completed in the early 1950's.
• In 1952 and 1953, the Wheel Club, later to become Interact, was formed at Vero Beach High School. During these years funds were provided for purchase of eye glasses and dental care for needy children. The vocational library at the high school was greatly expanded by the Club.
• In the early 1950's, the Club contributed $1,000 for a cabin at the district Boy Scout camp, and the idea of a Community Chest or United Fund had its beginnings among Rotarians.
• In 1960, a successful project was conducted which saw Rotarians delivering Four-Way Test plaques to businesses throughout Vero Beach. Meaning of the test was explained to businessmen and their cooperation in using the test in conducting their business was requested.
• Work was begun in the early 1960's on a project to raise funds for a community swimming pool, the monies later being used for the YMCA pool facilities. In 1961, the Pleasant Ridge school for exceptional children received a face-lift including painting and repairs to the exterior by Rotarians.
• The Vero Beach Mutual Concert Association was a project of the late 60's. Another organization established by Vero Beach Rotary during the period was the Citizens Scholarship Foundation. The Dollars for Scholars program has provided many thousands of dollars for the college education of Indian River County young people. As was intended, both the concert association and the scholarship foundation became independent organizations after their original creation and guidance by the Club, and both continued to provide active service to the community.
• The Girl Scouts were, for many years, supported by the Club, with payment of maintenance, utilities and insurance expenses for the Scouts' Little Hut coming from Rotary.
• Active involvement with the RSVP program of Rotary International began here in 1967, when the Club sent its first student to Europe. Other young people have, in ensuing years, received a year's study abroad while staying with a Rotary family. In turn, foreign students have been hosted in Vero Beach by families of Rotarians.
• The first Rotary Home Show was held in 1970 and was the Club's primary fund raising project until 1980.
• Other projects of the '60's and '70's included sending four cartons of school books to Africa, providing financial aid to a hospital in Bangladesh, operating a welfare fund in cooperation with the county welfare department, and donating books to the county library by Rotarians on their birthdays.
• Rotary provided the design and funds for a picnic shelter at South Beach in 1971, and in 1973 gave nearly $2,000 for the purchase of the "jaws of life" device for the fire department for rescuing persons trapped in wrecked automobiles. It was the largest single contribution ever made to the fire department.
• On September 26, 1972, this Club sponsored the formation of the Rotary Club of Vero Beach West. The Charter members of the new Club were composed of members of this Club who wished to join the new Club. The Charter of the new Club was presented on the evening of the 26th at a gala banquet at the Holiday Inn West. Rotary West is now very active in service to the community and its affairs.
• Projects in the '70's included providing funds and supervision for construction of a baseball field for the youth of Gifford, and purchase of a lighted sign for listing coming events at the Vero Beach Community Center.
• As was the case in 1926, the Club contributed to the relief of sufferers from a natural disaster, when funds were sent in 1976 to Guatemala which was devastated by an earthquake.
• In 1977, the Club put on its first Musical Extravaganza at the Riverside Theatre. This became one of the major fund raising projects.
• 1979-80, Rotary International's 75th Anniversary, was a busy year for the Club. The Club sponsored a nursing scholarship at Indian River Community College and gave 8 paddle fans to Middle Seven School which helped in days of energy crisis. In addition the Club contributed toward uniforms for the High School Band and helped support one student to go to Washington, D.C., for the 10th Congressional Intern Program. Aside from these local projects, the Club donated $1,485 to the Rotary International 3-H Program. 3-H stands for "Health, Hunger and Humanity."
• The Club increased its assistance to the community in 1980-81 with donations including a sophisticated $2,500 Kinetron exercise machine purchased for the Sunshine Physical Therapy Center. This year, several "ladies days" were held and background music at the beginning of meetings was begun.
• A Student of the Month program was started in 1981-82, recognizing outstanding students from Vero beach High School and St. Edward's Upper School. The Club nominated its first candidate, Donna Milonavich, as a successful candidate for a Rotary Foundation scholarship. She studied the flute in England. The process of up-dating the Club's by-laws was begun.
• Membership of the Club was increased by 10 percent in 1984-85, although we lost three long-time members - Waddy Wadsworth, Roy Nixon and Ralph Sedgwick. Two projects still in effect were started - the food concession at the annual Vero Beach Art Club show and monthly recognition of outstanding school teachers. Events that year included a river front cleanup, a club auction of donated items and a Home Stay that reached a new high of 30 guests.
• Establishment of a scholarship fund and celebration of the Club's 60th anniversary highlighted 1985-86. That year the system was started for prepaying meals on a quarterly basis, eliminating congestion at the check-in table and also providing the Club with significant revenue.
• A soup kitchen in Gifford was started under Rotary leadership in 1987-88, a project which attracted much community support. The Club's first female members joined this year when three became part of the Club, and a golf tournament became the Club's major fund raising project.
• Contributions are made annually from the Irwin Waite Penny Fund to youth facilities such as the Florida Sheriffs Association Boys Ranch and Girls Villa. The Club also remains in close contact with the Interact Club and provides it with partial financial support.
• For many years the Club has participated in and rendered support to the Special Olympics, a track and field meet for the handicapped.
• One of the club's major projects during the year is its Home Stay program. Incoming district governors from around the World are invited to visit Vero Beach on their way to the annual assembly for district governor nominees. We host several of the nominees and their wives in our homes, entertain them in our homes and in the homes of our friends and take them sightseeing in the area as far away as Disney World and Cape Canaveral.
• In recent years, we have taken a special interest in Rotary's Club Florida and the Reaching Out to Cancer Kids (ROCK Camp) Program and have helped to fund and build cabins and other facilities there.
• One of our proudest contributions to Rotary was Past District Governor Wil Coudriet (1994/95), who with his member/wife Sylvia are still active in our club and our district.
• In May of 1997, the Club decided to merge fund raising with community and youth service and instituted the first annual Rotary Salute to Youth in the Arts. Recognizing that it is our responsibility to nurture the potential in every child, we joined with parents, schools and a host of others to showcase and commend the unique talents and abilities of our young people with a day long celebration at Riverside Theatre and Park. Although free to the public, the event was also one of our most successful fund raising activities (through program sales) proving that fund raising and community service can go hand in hand.

These projects and others have constituted 75 years of service by Vero Beach Rotarians. Your Club has truly become an integral part of the community.