Los Banos Rotary Club History
Los Banos Rotary Club is nearly 65 years old

It wasn't a time one would expect a service club to form. The country's economy still suffered after 11 years of depression - a period of such hardship that it would later be named the Great Depression. Internationally, fascism was spreading by force of arms throughout Europe and Asia, and the world was poised on the brink of war for the second time in less that 30 years.

But perhaps because it was a time of global chaos and domestic hardship it was also a perfect time to bolster membership in an organization dedicated to peace and international understanding through education.

Whatever the reason, the Los Banos Rotary Club was chartered June 11, 1940 and held its Charter Night on June 27 of that year.

The club's 38 charter members were joined at the celebration by 100 other Rotarians from clubs as far away as Gilroy and Monterey to the west and Avenal and Dinuba to the south. Fresno's Rotary Club, which sponsored the local club's formation, was well represented, according to newspaper accounts of the event, and its members presented each of the charter members of the new Los Banos club a framed copy of Rotary's code of ethics.

One of the local club's past presidents, Don Escallier, said the club met at noon every week at various locations in town for the first forty years of its existence, including at the old Masonic hall (where Arteaga's Market is now), the American Legion Hall across the street, the recreation hall in the county park, and the old Hub Hotel, among other sites.
In 1980 or '81, the club moved its meeting site to the Canal Farm Inn (now España's) where its has met ever since, except for a short period of time between 1995 and '97 when its met in the morning at Country Waffles, Escallier said.

From its initial 38 members, the club grew to include about 60 members during the mid-1980s, but membership fell to fewer than 30 Rotarians in the mid-1990s, Escallier said. Today the club has 34 members.

Since its inception, the local club has contributed to dozens of local projects and programs, and through its members has contributed tens of thousands of dollars to the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International to fulfill Rotary's mission, and the achievement of world understanding and peace through local, national, and international humanitarian, educational, and cultural programs.

There are 48 local past and present Rotarians who have been given the prestigious title of Paul Harris Fellow. That honor is given to those who have donated $1,000 or more to the international organization.

But as much as the local club has done to promote the programs and goals of Rotary International, the donations pale compared to what has been given to the local community.

"The club has given two, three times as much to local [programs] as it has to Rotary international," said Escallier. "In scholarships alone we've probably given $75,000."
Local Rotarians have taken on service projects as diverse as helping to fund the renovation of the barbecue area at the fairgrounds to planting trees along Page Avenue near Los Baños High School. The club helped launch the walking trail project near the Central California Irrigation District's main canal, assisted the high school's band at a fund-raiser at Pac Bell Park in San Francisco, and has donated to the local Habitat for Humanity project. As a perennial sponsor of Boy Scout Troop #85, Rotarians donated the entire proceeds from this year's pancake breakfast fund-raiser to the local troop.
Los Banos Rotary Club is part of Rotary's District 5220 along with clubs from Stockton, Modesto, Lodi, Merced, Madera, Turlock and Tracy. Local Rotarian Joe Cox served as District Governor from 1990-91, and Escallier and Dr. "Pete" Peraiah were Group Study Exchange team leaders in 1987-88 and 1999-00 respectively. As team leaders, the men took groups of young business people to visit Rotarians and their families from different countries. Escallier traveled to France during his tenure, while Peraiah went to India.

Escallier is also on the Rotary Foundation Ambassador Scholarship committee. Through the program, college graduates can receive a $25,000 scholarship to study at a foreign university for a year. Three Los Banosans have been awarded the scholarship. Rick Goeden attended the London School of Economics in 1987-88, Steve Myers attended Reading University in England in 1988-89 and Jory Hall attended the University of Prague in the Czech Republic in 1990-91.

In 1985, the local Rotary established the Los Banos Interact Club. Members of that organization are high school students who want to learn what Rotary is all about. Emphasis is placed on Rotary's motto, Service Above Self. Interact club members have helped with many local service projects and a group of them traveled to Mexico in 2001 to install playground equipment for children there.

Charter members
There were 38 charter members of the Los Banos Rotary Club when the club was formed in 1940. Some of their descendants are active Rotarians in Los Banos today.
Those who started the local club were:
Rinaldo C. Alden
Rev. Henry F. Beaver
Murray Beeney
Julius Cerini
Jerome Cyr
Gilbert S. Elliott
Frank Ellis
Joseph Enos
Domenic Oliver Germino
Thomas Hancock
Austin Hicks
LeRoy Hillyer
Carl Hultgren
Charles Johnson
Thomas B. Kaljian
Rev. Daniel Keenan
Rudolph Lindemann
Thomas C. Mott
Rinaldo M. Miano
John B. Machado
Virgil Menefee, vice president
Frank Merrick
Gregory P Maushart
Harry Meyer
Jack Pfitzer
Dr. George B. Pimentel, president
Robert L. Puccinelli, secretary
Leslie G. Sandell
James W. Slaven
Buster Sloan
Roy Snyder
Lester J. Spindt
Dr. Paul R. Sutton
Joseph L. Toscano
Tony D. Toscano
Earl E. Wallace
Bert A. Wilson
Otto Zentner

Rotary was world's first service club
The world's first service club was the Rotary Club of Chicago, Ill. It was formed on Feb. 23, 1905, by lawyer Paul P. Harris and three friends - a merchant, a coal dealer and a mining engineer.

Harris wished to recapture the friendly spirit he had felt among businesspeople in the small town where he grew up.

The name "Rotary" was derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among members' offices.

Mission
The main objective of Rotary is service - in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world.

Rotary volunteers build goodwill and peace, provide humanitarian service, and encourage high ethical standards in all vocations.

This is accomplished according to Rotary's motto, "Service Above Self."

Membership
o Rotary members are professional men and women who work as volunteers to improve the quality of life in their home and world community.

Club membership represents a cross-section of local business and professional leaders. The world's Rotary clubs meet weekly and are nonpolitical, nonreligious and open to all cultures, races and creeds.

o First admitted in 1987, women are the fastest-growing segment of Rotary's membership. There are about 2,000 women club presidents, and women are rapidly assuming regional leadership roles.

Service today
o Rotary volunteers initiate community projects that address many of today's most critical issues, such as violence, drug abuse, youth, AIDS, hunger, the environment and illiteracy.
o Rotary clubs are autonomous and determine service projects based on local needs. However, they are encouraged to base projects on the following topics: Children at risk, disabled persons, health care, international understanding and goodwill, literacy and numeracy, population issues, poverty and hunger, the environment and urban concerns.
o Rotary members work with and for youth to address challenges facing young people today.

Through participation in Rotary-sponsored Interact clubs (for secondary school students), Rotaract clubs (for young adults), and Rotary Youth Leadership awards, young people worldwide learn leadership skills and the importance of community service.
o Rotary Youth Exchange gives high school students the opportunity to broaden their world view and build international friendships.

Pursuing peace
o Rotary volunteers have a history of building safe communities and working for peace. In places where urban violence has become rampant, Rotary's community-based network helps to prevent unrest.

Rotary-sponsored violence prevention projects and conferences address the root causes of violence such as drug abuse, poverty, lack of role models and gangs.
o The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International provides an opportunity for Rotary club members to work for international understanding and peace. Through their foundation, Rotarians sponsor international educational and humanitarian programs.
o PolioPlus is Rotary's commitment to eradicating polio by the year 2005.
Through the efforts of Rotary and its partners in the fight against polio, more than 2 billion children worldwide have been immunized since 1985. In 1996, 154 nations reported no cases of polio, up from 85 when PolioPlus began.
By the year 2005 Rotary contributions will reach a half-billion U.S. dollars to eradicate the crippling disease. Of equal significance is the huge volunteer army organized by Rotary International for social mobilization, vaccine transport and immunization activities.
o Rotary's international network links people in need with Rotary club members in other countries that can provide resources. The foundation's humanitarian programs provide health care and supplies, clean water, food, job training and education - particularly in the developing world.
o The Rotary Foundation's educational programs include Ambassadorial Scholarships, the world's largest privately-funded source of international scholarships.
Nearly 1,000 scholarships are awarded annually for study in another country. Grants are also awarded for university teachers to serve in developing countries and for professional exchange.

Paul Harris fellows
Paul Harris Fellows from the Los Banos club include:
Charles W. Bates
Ron Brandt
Loris Brodderick
Roland D. Brubaker
Dave Buchanan
John Buchholz
Leonard E. Clover
Louis Cosans
Joseph A. Cox
Richard L. Dahlgren
Michael Dambrosio
Emil Erreca
Donald Escallier
John D. Fawcett
Gerald Giesel
Bryan Heath
George Hyatt
Gerald Hoyt
Michael Hughes
Scott Jordan
Thomas Kaljian
Dennis Kuehl
Mike Larson
Rhonda Lowe
Roy Lower
Abel Machado
Charles J Martin
Elge Mastrangelo
Michael McCormick
Harry Edwin Meyer
Hugh Miller
Anne Newins
Ben Patricio
Frank Peluso
Sudanagunta "Pete" Peraiah
Nancy Silva
Charlene Sloan
William Harold Sloan, Sr.
Bill Solis
Leonoe E. Solis
John Spevak
Frank Stambach
Jose Vasquez
Mike Villalta
Anthony Whitehurst
Diana Wolfsen
Gordon Zentner
William Zurilgen

Rotary's motto is more than just words
"Service above Self," that is Rotary's motto.
At the local level, those words have been translated into dozens of projects and programs that have benefited the community as a whole and young people especially.
This year, each of Rotary's more than 31,000 clubs world wide picked a project for the organization's 100th anniversary. The local club chose to purchase 100 trees, one for each year of Rotary, and have them planted along the rail corridor.
"It's a great project." said one of Los Banos Rotary's past presidents Mike McCormick. "The tress will look really nice when they've all grown."
The local club contributed $2,500 to purchase trees for the rail corridor, said two-term past president Richard Dahlgren. A variety of species, from Raywood ash and flowering pear to crepe myrtle and evergreens, have been planted already along the corridor as some of what will be 1,500 trees when the project is completed, he said.
"The trees are not only aesthetically beautiful but add to the value of the property along the corridor," Dahlgren said.

Literacy
The local Rotary Club applied for and was awarded a $10,000 Children's Opportunity Grant from the Rotary Foundation which continues to benefit local children each year.
Some $6,000 of the grant was spent on the acquisition of children's books for the Los Banos branch of the Merced County library and the balance used to improve the children's section of the library. Books are donated to the library by the Rotary Club on a regular basis, each on behalf of a person who has been a guest speaker at the club's weekly meetings.

The local club also sponsors Wee Wigglers Storytime each Thursday at the library where the city's youngest can come to listen to a variety of stories being read to them by local volunteers.

Attendance at Storytime varies both in age and numbers, said one of Rotary's past presidents Colleen Menefee. The program is geared for preschool aged children, but elementary school pupils have also attended the weekly reading sessions with their teachers, she said.

Rotarians provide snacks for the children every week, and members of the club frequently read during storytime. Once a month, someone from the school district - a principal, teacher and on occasion the district's superintendent - is the designated reader.
Near holidays, readers often come to storytime in costume and that which they read relates to the specific holiday. Wanda the Witch is popular with children at Halloween as are the rabbits brought to storytime during Easter.

Trumpet players, beekeepers and even city officials such as Mayor Michael Amabile have come to read to the children.

Local scholarships
Every year, the local Rotary Club offers scholarships to graduating seniors from Los Baños and San Luis high schools.

According to one of Rotary's past presidents Anne Newins, 10 scholarships ranging in value from $250 to $1,000 were awarded to local students last year. Collectively the scholarships were worth $5,000.

Newins said proceeds from money-raising events such as the club's annual Crab Feed which is March 18, Pancake Breakfasts which are April 16 and in October, as well as the Rigatoni lunch in December, are used to replenish the scholarship fund.
The club also sponsors a speech contest each year, where FFA members from Los Banos High school vie for prize money and a chance to advance to region and district competitions. Newins said last year's winner at the local level went on to the district contest and earned more than $1,000 toward further education for his efforts.
"Rotary has a lot of investment in youth in general," she said.

From sponsoring local Boy Scouts to helping with Sober Grad nights and Interact activities, the club assists young people as they develop into adulthood. Newins said seven local high school juniors just returned from a three-day trip to the Rotary's Camp Royal. At the camp, the young people learn leadership skills, she said.

Ambassador scholarships
Rotary past president Don Escallier is the chairperson for the Ambassadorial Scholarship Committee. The committee chooses students for the scholarship who have completed at least two years of college and whose plans for future studies line up with their past education.

"It's a marvelous opportunity for these young people to study abroad and truly not cost them a thing," Escallier said. "They really are ambassadors to another country."
The number of scholarships given each year depends on the amount of money donated to the Rotary Foundation. This year three scholarships were given in the district covering the Central Valley.

A century of commitment to youth
. Rotary International is committed to helping young people prepare for the future. As community leaders, Rotary club members support a variety of youth-oriented service projects and programs that include mentoring, tutoring, leadership development, vocational training, local and international scholarships and urban peace initiatives.
Providing opportunities for education Ambassadorial scholarships:
The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International is the largest source of privately-funded international scholarships. Each year, nearly 1,300 young adults serve as youth ambassadors and study at a college or university in another country.

Youth Exchange:
Each year about 7,000 secondary school students visit or study in another country under the Youth Exchange program. The program allows students to experience first-hand life, culture and education in another country.
Promoting literacy:

Rotary clubs promote literacy among youth and provide tools to facilitate learning.
A Rotary club in Bolivia built three libraries in low-income neighborhoods to increase literacy and reading skills.

Providing basic health care:
Gift of Life
Rotary's Gift of Life program provides free medical care for needy children with congenital heart disease. The Gift of Life has been instrumental in saving more than 2,500 children worldwide through open-heart surgery.
PolioPlus:
Through the Rotary Foundation's PolioPlus program and global eradication efforts, more than 2 billion children worldwide have been immunized against polio since 1985.
Building future leaders
Rotary-sponsored clubs for young people:
Interact (for secondary school students) and Rotaract (for young adults 18-30 years old) provide opportunities for leadership development, fellowship and service.
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA):
Young people ages 14-30 participate in camps or workshops that focus on leadership and professional development.
Promoting peace:
Rotary projects prevent violence towards young people by addressing urban issues.
Rotary club members in Sydney, Australia established the "Street Smart" facility to reunite homeless youths with their families, provide health care, drug abuse treatment and vocational training.

Past presidents
Past presidents of the Los Banos Rotary Club include
Dr. George B. Pimentel 1940-41
Robert L. Puccinelli 1941-42
Lester J. Spindt 1942-43
Rinaldo M. Miano 1943-44
Gilbert S. Elliott 1944-45
Charles T Kaljian 1945-46
Bert A. Wilson 1946-47
Rudolph Lindemann 1947-48
F.E. Buck 1948-49
Mack D. Wheat 1949-50
Louie Castellucci 1950-51
William Woo 1951-52
Frank Peluso 1952-53
Kenneth Anderson 1953-54
Jesse Telles 1954-55
Frank Merrick 1955-56
Otto Zentner 1956-57
Ed Evans 1957-58
Ned Dickson 1957-58
Charles W. Bates 1958-59
Harry Meyer 1959-60
Kenneth Reid 1960-61
Michael Dambrosio 1961-62
Abel Machado 1962-63
John B. Machado 1963-64
A.C. "Bill" Solis 1964-65
John Germino 1965-66
William "Buster" Sloan 1966-67
William Zurilgen 1967-68
Robert Kirkpatrick 1968-69
Richard Bradford 1969-70
T.D. Toscano 1970-71
William Stenberg 1971-72
Dean Atkinson 1972-73
Leonard Clover 1973-74
Lloyd Cotta 1974-75
Loris Brodderick 1975-76
Leon Sucht 1976-77
Joe Cox 1977-78
Harold Paradis 1978-79
Gordon Zentner 1979-80
Gary Polgar 1980-81
Daniel Davey 1981-82
John Fawcett 1982-83
Tony Whitehurst 1983-84, 2000-01
Donald Escallier 1984-85
Charles Martin 1985-86
Dr. Sudanagunta "Pete" Peraiah 1986-87
Gerald Giesel 1987-88
Tom Wright 1988-89
Bud Stambach 1988-90
Michael Hughes 1990-91
Rick Dahlgren 1991-92, 1993-94
Chuck Dean 1992-93
John Neal 1993-94
Ron Brandt 1994-95
Mike Villalta 1995-96, 2002-03
Anne Newins 1996-97
Gil Silbernagel 1997-98
Scott Jordan 1998-99
Colleen Menefee 1999-00
Charlene Sloan 2001-02
Mike McCormick 2003-04
Gene Lieb 2004-05
Andrea Lahocki…2005-06
Dick Gerbi….2006-07
Xxxxx xxxxx….2007-08
Chris Gallagher/Gene Lieb…2008-09
Gene Lieb…..2009-10

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